having a hard time getting the kids to eat healthy in the heat? Check out these 5 healthy summer meals that they will love!
As parents, we all know the importance of teaching our children how to eat right. But during summer, a lot of guidelines seem to slide, including eating healthy. Sugary popsicles, ice cream, chips and soda are more common than healthy summer meals during the hot months. Get your child to eat healthy by providing them with delicious alternatives to junk food and preparing summer meals that they will love.
5 Healthy Summer Meals for Kids
Fruit
If you are looking for quick and easy, just throw together some fruit on a plate! Include grapes, kiwi, oranges, grapefruit, cantaloupe and watermelon. If your children are young, you can even arrange them in happy faces.
Smoothies
Summer recipes for kids that are healthy, will fill them up and tastes great are smoothies. There are so many different flavors and combinations that you can make that they will never get bored. You can even have them help make them, which will add to the fun. This is one of those summer meals that is filling so they won’t be hungry until dinner. If you need help getting started, a great website to find smoothies along with reviews is Allrecipes.
Salads
I know most kids aren’t crazy about salads, but if you include ingredients they love and make it fun, they just might give them a try. My kids love pasta salad and to make it healthier, I use whole wheat pasta. I add peas, grated carrots and finely diced peppers to mine.
Ham Roll-Ups
This isn’t a meal, but does make a quick and easy snack for kids. Simply take a slice of ham and roll up with a cheese slice. These are great for BBQ’s, family picnics or when kids just want to grab something and go.
Junk Food Substitutions
Another way to get your kids to eat healthy summer meals is to replace junk food with something else. Instead of buying chips, make them yourself with kale. If they want cupcakes, make muffins with real berries. Whole wheat crackers with flaxseed can replace cookies and instead of traditional fried chicken, coat it with ground up cereal, like Cheerios.
While it seems that convenience and junk foods are easier, healthy can be simple and quick, too. If your child happens to be a picky eater, there are a lot of ways you can encourage them to eat healthy by hiding vegetables in their food, making it look fun or having them help prepare delicious summer meals.
Ham Photo Credit: MorgueFile.
We do lots of omelets too. Easy to make. You don’t need the oven and you can hide veggies in them.
I put a lot of green peppers in my omelets!
These are some of our go to meals too. It’s perfectly acceptable to have crackers, cheese and dip in the summer with some veggies.
Yes, it is! This summer we’ve had a lot of those, too. My middle daughter loves cheese and crackers and my youngest loves her veggies!
Oops I meant LOVE not live.
Ha Ha! I thoughts that’s what you meant!
I am pretty lucky that my kids live fruits and veggies. They eat salad most of the time especially with a favourite dressing.
My oldest and youngest are like that – my middle child we’ve had to struggle with!
I wish! DD will eat none of that… well she will eat some fruit. She won’t eat junk either though… just wants everything PLAIN.
Only the child of a food blogger…. LOL
LOL! My middle daughter is a picky eater. Her favorite food is cheese and she also loves fruit. That used to be all she would eat! It used to be a real struggle, but she has been a little more open to trying new things lately. I’m hoping that she continues to be more open about trying new things!
Those muffins look great! Love the addition of lemon to a muffin classic.
Salads and fruit are my summer favs.
Thanks, Kerrie! I just love muffins (I’m always making a batch in my kitchen!) We are huge fruit lovers too!
Thank you very much, I liked a lot salad and berry muffins!
Those are some of my favorite things, too!