From this picky eater to YOUR picky eaters, I remember what a hard time I gave my parents at the dinner table. I would hardly eat anything. Especially nothing green. And Meat? Forget about it unless it was chicken.
Any parent who has a picky kid not only has a hassle (what to cook? What to serve?) but also legitimate nutrition concerns. With the amount of refined foods that are packed with additives and artificial flavors/colors etc. as well as unhealthy choices overwhelming the market place and school lunch room, it can look like an impossible task to get the right nutrients into your child’s diet. Proper nutrition is extra important for growing kids.
If your dinner table is the scene of a huge fight, or a trip to the fast-food restaurant more often than not, then please allow me to share this with you! Finally, there’s a safe, easy way to get kids to have the nutrition they need. And best of all, It tastes like what ever your kids want it to!
As you know, the flavor of food is often the biggest hurdle for picky eaters. “It tastes gross!” “This smells terrible!” “I’m not eating THAT”. This can make variety impossible, or deprive them of a vegetable with powerful nutrients, just because it tastes terrible. (Broccoli, anyone?) But what if you could ensure your kids got:
• Magnesium – 15 times more than Broccoli
• Calcium – 6 times more than whole milk
• Omega-3 – nearly 9 times the amount found in Salmon
• Fiber – more than flax seed & 2 times more than bran flakes
• Iron – nearly 3 times more than spinach
• Protein – more than soy
• Unlike fish, MySeeds have NO CHOLESTEROL
So what is this super solution that can give everything from a yummy milk-shake to a bowl of cereal as much nutritional kick as vegetables?
Chia Seeds
Yes, these are the same things found on novelty 'chia pets'--but with a big difference. The safe, clean, human food certified seeds are a mix of black & white chia. Research has proven that these tiny seeds with their unique ability to form nutritious gel are really a super food. Like acai berries they're loaded with anti-oxidants but unlike the berries, they won't unload your wallet. You would think that something with all this nutrition would taste like broccoli or spinach. Maybe even peas--and none of that is kid-friendly. However, with chia in the house nutrition will never be a battle because...
The unique property of chia seeds is that they do not have a flavor of their own; they can only distribute flavors of foods they’re added to. They are 100% natural, grown with no pesticides or additives. Zero artificial colors or flavors. Just pure nutrition, and ZERO flavor.
For example, if you add a spoon full of Chia to yogurt, and stir, they’ll take on the taste of the yogurt as the seeds hydrate. The same thing happens with chocolate pudding. They do not absorb flavor, so you don’t have to worry about it tasting different once you add the seeds. The same goes for baked goods. You can pour them into pancakes, muffins, breads, or anything your kids love. The flavorless seeds go down easy, because they taste just like what they’re in. Nothing else is so nutritious, safe and versatile!
You don't need gritty powders or artificial chemical 'milk shakes' when you have so many cool kid-friendly Chia Recipes to make. Using things you probably already have in your house, (and Chia too!) you can make a quick meal the whole family will love, and easily say 'no' to expensive fast food. Your family will enjoy the great taste, and you'll enjoy knowing how healthy the meal was. Plus, the dinner table is a valuble place to share information with family members and talk through problems. If you're in a fight with picky eaters, it makes the emotional situation at the table less healthy as well.
When you have Chia in the house, your days of worrying whether your kids are getting enough protein when all they want to eat is ” mac n’ cheese” are over! The protein is complete too (like that found in meat--it's actually one of the highest plant-source proteins on Earth!) So until your kids' tastes grow up, you don't have to worry about their nutrition. Don't let them fill up on junk food or fast food, take control of your family's nutrition now for a healthy lifetime later.
This author is from www.mychiaseeds.com, and enjoys baking, photography and art. With years of chia knowledge and experience in the kitchen, the author hopes to spread health, good flavor and fun to everyone. This article can be reprinted so long as it is not altered and the links are kept intact.