Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Trail Mix for Kids

Most days, I feel like I have the pickiest eater in the world. My 4 year old could easily live off grilled cheese, chicken nuggets, and pancakes if we let him. I feel guilty that he doesn't eat near enough vegetables. That is, unless we count french fries. Potatoes equal veggies, right? Fruits are a little more popular in our house, but meat is the biggest hurdle. Try to sneak the kid any meat not breaded and shaped as a nugget, and he will gag, spit, and pitch a fit.

While I have zero advice on how to get more meat into his diet, I have found ways to sneak in other things. The little one will eat practically anything in the form of trail mix. His favorite mix includes animal crackers, mini marshmallows, pretzels, and yogurt covered raisins.

Here's a few other combinations that have become hits in our house:
  • Dried fruit, chocolate chips, assorted cereal
  • Cheerios, pretzels, crackers
  • Berries, granola, yogurt covered raisins
  • Goldfish, cheesy cracker bites, pretzels
  • Fresh berries, cereal, raisins
  • Mini breadsticks, m & m's, banana chips
What kind of food combos do your kids enjoy?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's a good idea! I would probably eat anything in the form of a trail mix too. :-) When I was little, I went through a phase where I didn't like any meat except chicken - but all my mom had to do to get me to eat dinner was tell me that the meat was chicken, no matter what it really was. (Apparently I was very gullible.) We have also eaten grilled cheese with other things sandwiched between slices of cheese (turkey, tomatoes, etc.) I was never the picky one though; my brother (at 27) still won't eat most things!

Anonymous said...

I can sympathize with the meat thing. My son is 7 and STILL won't touch meat unless you count pepperoni. Whereas my 17 month old will eat a steak faster than I can cook it.

Michelle@lifeinawhirlwind said...

I also have an anti-meat eater. We've explained a million times that yes, she likes chicken and yes it's the same thing in nuggets but she won't budge because of the shape. When we do the regular trail mix, the m&m's go missing while the rest of the stuff is untouched. I'll have to try some of these other mixes.

kristi said...

french fries DEFINITELY count as a vegetable and if they dip them in ketchup well then, you've got a fruit there too!