http://www.myfamilyexercise.com/kids-exercise A great number of parents across America suffer when it comes to getting their kids to eat healthy, nutritional foods. Kids can be very strong willed and if they don’t want a certain food, they will let you know. They’re also not afraid to tell you if something doesn’t taste good. Children have many different responses when they’re presented with something unappetizing. They can whine, complain or throw a tantrum. They may rather go to bed hungry than eat a nutritious dinner. Some children even force themselves to vomit so their parents won’t make them eat. Such behavior can be very stressful and exhausting for parents. Oftentimes, it’s easier just to cave in to a child’s wishes than to fight. Parents must be encouraged, though, that the battle is not lost. There are several factors that add fuel to the flame and make it even harder for parents to get kids to eat well. Below are five top reasons kids refuse to eat healthy vegetables and fruits when they’re offered. Once you make the necessary adjustments, mealtimes with your child will most likely be much easier. Best of all, you will be the one in control instead of your child.

1. Child Nutrition Facts
for Every Parent
Five Reasons Your Kids Don’t Eat Well
Presented By:
Myfamilyexercise.com
Jeff Wise
Copyright 2012

2. Child Nutrition For Every Parent
A great number of parents across America suffer when it comes to getting their kids to eat healthy,
nutritional foods. Kids can be very strong willed and if they don’t want a certain food, they will let you
know. They’re also not afraid to tell you if something doesn’t taste good.
Children have many different responses when they’re presented with something unappetizing. They can
whine, complain or throw a tantrum. They may rather go to bed hungry than eat a nutritious dinner.
Some children even force themselves to vomit so their parents won’t make them eat.
Such behavior can be very stressful and exhausting for parents. Oftentimes, it’s easier just to cave in to
a child’s wishes than to fight. Parents must be encouraged, though, that the battle is not lost.
There are several factors that add fuel to the flame and make it even harder for parents to get kids to eat
well. Below are five top reasons kids refuse to eat healthy vegetables and fruits when they’re offered.
Once you make the necessary adjustments, mealtimes with your child will most likely be much easier.
Best of all, you will be the one in control instead of your child.
Reason #1: Too Much Junk Food in the Home
You may not even realize it, but there are possibly a multitude of kids’ junk food items in your pantry
and fridge that you should stop buying immediately. The more junk food a child can get at home, the
less likely they will choose or desire the healthier options.
With the list below, go to your kitchen and set aside each of these items in your kitchen. Don’t worry.
You don’t have to trash it all today. I will tell you which items are the worst for your child’s health and
should be trashed immediately and which ones you can continue to eat until you’re finished.
It would be wise not to buy any of these food items again if you can help it. Look at your food labels
and become familiar with which foods have lots of sugar or artificial sweeteners and do everything you
can to avoid those items.
Kids Junk Food in the Pantry
 Cookies
 Sugar cereals for kids
 Fruit roll-ups
 Pop-Tarts
 Donuts
 Muffins
 White bread
 White rice
 White potatoes
 Chips
Kids Junk Food in the Fridge
 Frozen dinners
 Frozen pizzas
 Cookie dough
 Non-organic salad dressings
 Bacon
 Hot dogs

3.  Pre-packaged deli meats
Most of these are fine to keep until you’ve consumed them. But, it would be wise to immediately trash
donuts, candy, cookies and snacks with more than 15 grams of sugar per serving. And when you visit
the grocery store next, don’t buy these items.
Replace Kids Junk Food with Healthier Snacks
There are plenty of healthy snack foods that can replace the bad foods listed above. Of course, fruits,
vegetables, nuts, seeds and avocados are some of the best picks because they are super healthy for the
whole family.
If you still want processed foods, look for organic crackers or cookies. These usually have less grams of
sugar per serving and the ingredients are much better for you. Yogurt is another great snack as long as
it’s not made with aspartame or another artificial sweetener.
There are a lot of healthy alternatives we can use instead of the typical kids junk food items and as
parents we have the power to make those buying decisions.
Toss the Kids Junk Food and You’ll See a Change
You’ll see a dramatic change in your child’s health once you toss the kids junk food and replace it with
nutritious meals and snacks.
Unhealthy foods for kids consumed over time can cause quite a bit of toxic build up in their systems.
Detoxification – or detox for short – is defined as the physiological or medicinal removal of toxic
substances from a living organism, including the human body and additionally can refer to the period of
withdrawal during which an organism returns to homeostasis after long-term use of an addictive
substance.
In order to remove toxins from your kids’ bodies, you have to eliminate the junk they’re eating on a
regular basis.
This is the core for having a healthy child. Obviously, the primary cause of unhealthy children is the
food they put in their mouths. What is not so obvious to many parents is what truly is bad and what
isn’t.
Less Kids Junk Food Equals Less Sickness
Once your kids stop eating as many unhealthy foods and consuming more beneficial foods, you will see
a big difference. Not only will they start to lose weight if needed, they will become more active, more
alert, and they’ll get sick less. They will have more confidence in their abilities and they will be in a
good mood more often.
The nutrients from good foods affect kids physically, mentally, emotionally and physiologically.
Healthy eating is better for them all around, both in the present and the future.
The best way to help remove toxins from your child’s body is through their drinking. They must drink
water, water, and more water. Each day allow them to drink milk, maybe one small glass of juice, and
the rest should be water. Drinking a lot of water flushes toxins from the liver, bladder, kidneys, and
colon.
Main Kids Junk Food Culprit Is Drinks
The easiest way to lower calorie intake is through beverages. You may see your children lose weight

4. just by eliminating sodas or sugary juices from their diets. PLEASE don’t give your children diet
drinks because they contain a terrible substance called aspartame that is incredibly harmful.
Drinks are the easiest items to eliminate. You don’t have to throw away all your sugary drinks
immediately. But let your child know that you will not be buying those beverages again for awhile.
Reason #2: Child Food Addiction
People are becoming more aware of food addiction these days. It’s now considered just as harmful and
as serious as alcohol and drug addictions. But it doesn’t just affect adults. Kids can suffer from food
addiction as well. And this could be the reason they don’t want to eat healthy foods.
Food can control a child’s life. It is as addicting as drugs because it affects the brain the same way
cocaine or heroin does. If your child eats a lot of bad food, their body starts to feel “high” because the
pleasure areas in the brain are stimulated.
With continuous bad eating habits, the pleasure areas collapse and their body tells them to eat more to
have the same good feeling. After awhile, your kids can’t even feel normal again unless they eat the bad
foods. The brain changes as kids eat worse and worse, developing a tolerance for the foods they’re
ingesting.
Whether or not your children are overweight, they could easily have an addiction to food. This is
dangerous and must be stopped.
One sign of food addiction is sneaking food or eating in secret. This is done because your child feels
ashamed or knows the eating is wrong and they don’t want others to know what they’re doing. This
could cause social withdrawal and shame.
Being addicted to food can also cause your child to feel guilty and may even lead to eating disorders
like bulimia. Instead, they should feel good about the choices they make and feel confident that they are
in control of their lives instead of food controlling them.
There are different reasons children may be addicted to food. The first thing to do as a parent is to
pinpoint those reasons. Here are some possibilities:
 They simply like the taste of bad foods and have not learned to love healthy
foods.
 There is no defined parental authority in the home to prevent them from doing and eating what
they want.
 They are not offered healthy foods because the parents do not buy them.
 They feel like a social outcast and food has become their friend.
 They have experienced a family problem (death, divorce, trouble with siblings, etc.) and don’t
know how to deal with the issues.
It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to solve issues that may be causing food
addiction. Training your child to eat and love healthy foods is a doable process. It just takes
commitment and a little education.
If you think your child might be addicted to food because of one of the last two reasons, or for another
reason not listed, you have a more serious issue on your hands. Communication is huge. Sit down
alone with your child and let them know how much you love them and how concerned you are.
By communicating with your child, you will hopefully pinpoint the underlying issue and then be able to
take the next step. Perhaps they need to see a school or church counselor or perhaps they just need more

5. attention from family.
Once your child is not longer addicted to foods that are harmful, they will be able to enjoy foods that
are healthy and beneficial to their bodies.
Reason #3: Picky Eaters
This may be the absolute top reason why kids don’t eat healthy foods. Some kids just don’t like to eat.
They don’t like the way most food tastes, the way it smells, the color, the texture or any other excuse
they can find.
One mom recently complained because her kids only eat spoonfuls of peanut butter. Many kids’ diets
consist of nothing but chicken nuggets and French fries. Moms have worried for many years over their
picky eaters and marvel that they are even able to survive to adulthood.
Dinnertime is a regular challenge in many households, especially when it comes to healthy eating for
kids. The best way to combat this grueling experience is with unrelenting strength.
As exhausting as it may be, stay determined not to give up on these mealtime ordeals. If you expect
your kids to eat what they’ve been given, then stick to your guns. Even if it means they have to sit at the
table for an hour or go to bed hungry.
Healthy Eating For Kids is Harder When They Get Older
One thing to consider is that it really does pay off to make your kids eat good foods when they’re
young. If they’re not used to eating a variety of healthy foods then by the time they’re eight you’ll have
to pry their mouth open to get them to try any new foods.
There are cases of adults who still won’t eat fruits and vegetables because they never did as a child.
Unfortunately, these people are lacking the proper nutrients and vitamins to give them long, healthy
lives.
Some kids become less picky with age and start to eat a larger variety of foods. Even if that is the case,
those first few years of healthy eating have been compromised.
The best time to shape a child’s taste buds towards a nutritional diet is when they’re young.
Making Healthy Eating For Kids A Priority
If your kids are young, start now by making them try all the different foods you prepare. They may not
like it the first few times, but the more they try it the more likely they will develop a taste.
If your kids are older, it’s still not too late to get them to eat healthy foods. It may be more challenging,
but don’t get discouraged if they put up a fight. Giving them small portions at first will help.
With any picky eater, it can be stressful and tiring for the parents. Some picky eaters won’t budge no
matter what you do, but don’t give up and in the end you’re bound to see rewards.
Reason #4: The Holidays
It doesn’t matter if you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas or any other holiday because one of the main
attractions is candy. This doesn’t just happen at the end of the year, though. Candy-related holidays are
sprinkled throughout the year.
But, you especially get bombarded with these pesky treats starting in October with Halloween. Then

6. November comes and there are more desserts and candy all around Thanksgiving. Your extended family
members become like drug pushers in a way.
They’re always encouraging your kids, “come on, come on … just one more bite!” December rolls
around and some families take a holiday from health by filling the house with Christmas treats for kids.
Even if you don’t have those treats in your home, your kids will get them from grandparents, holiday
parties, parades or visiting Santa Claus.
During the holidays, here are some tips to keep your kids on a limited sugar supply.
1. Just say no! You really do have the power to tell teachers, family members, and even Grandma
that your kids will be passing on a lot of the sugar.
2. Enjoy a few treats but fill Christmas stockings with other foods like fruit, nuts, seeds and even
organic candy. Any leftover candy you should trash.
3. Make healthy holiday meals instead of high-calorie Christmas feasts and fried Hanukkah foods.
4. Have your kids drink plenty of water before any holiday meal. Drinking lots of water helps fill
you up so you eat less junk.
5. Remain active around holidays with any number of fun family exercise activities
More Than Just Holidays
These tips shouldn’t just be considered around the major holidays. Sugary treats are offered to your kids
year round and nearly every day.
School children have classroom parties for every occasion, including a birthday party for each child.
Some teachers even hand out candy as rewards for correct answers. This doesn’t even mention the poor
food selection is most cafeterias.
But kids have other ways of getting their hands on candy. Banks give suckers to their customer’s kids.
Grocery store bakeries hand out free cookies. Even church children ministries fill kids’ bellies with
sugary, unhealthy treats. And you can’t forget visits with the grandparents who, for some reason, tend to
give their grandkids desserts and candy.
With all of these scenarios, follow the tips above and you can surely limit the amount of sugar your kids
consume.
Reason #5: Circumstances That Set You Back
Not having enough healthy meals for kids seems to be a common occurrence now. While this can be an
error on the parent’s part, in many cases it’s not the parent’s fault.
Unfortunately, there are some parents who deliberately don’t provide healthy food for their children.
They and their children get sick often and many times become obese because they don’t eat enough
vegetables or fruits. Instead, they continuously choose processed, fattening foods and drink a lot of soda
pop. This is the choice they make and they don’t plan to change.
Most of you, though, don’t fit into that category. There is another group of people who, despite loving
their children and desiring them to be healthy, they just can’t provide the healthiest meals.
Healthy Meals For Kids – What’s Holding You Back?
Constantly blaming someone or certain circumstances isn’t good because many times that just gives
people an excuse to do nothing about their situation. Instead, discover the problem and try to find

7. solutions.
With prices as they are, many families are forced to have both mom and dad work all day, sometimes
not coming home until six o’clock. This leaves little time for quality meal preparation.
Other circumstances can come into play, such as job loss, divorce, being a single parent, etc. Each of
these can cause hardships on parents.
How in the world are you supposed to have healthy food stocked and cooked for the whole family at a
reasonable time? What is your child supposed to snack on after school?
Those in this situation are usually forced to find cheap snack foods that require absolutely no
preparation. Even peeling an orange can take too long.
Once mom and dad come home from work they are exhausted because they just spent 10 hours of their
day commuting and dealing with the stress of their job.
Sometimes parents just don’t feel like making anything, so they order a pizza or pick up fast food.
Healthy meals for kids aren’t even a thought in your mind.
There are many different circumstances that can cause parents to avoid focusing on healthy eating. It is
very easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and forget about this important factor.
Healthy Meals For Kids Solutions
There are some solutions to our healthy meals for kids issue and it’s not as hard as you think. Consider
the after school snacks first.
The name of the game is quick and ready. Seriously, what kid comes home and desires to cut up his
own fruit or vegetable or even make his own sandwich?
Do everything you can to have fruits and vegetables cut up and ready to eat. Have other healthy snack
choices available such as nuts, seeds and whole-grain pretzels.
You’ve got to make it easy for kids, so the night before just take 10 or 15 minutes to get their lunch and
after school snacks ready to go.
Dinner time together at home on a regular basis has been proven to lead to kids eating a whole lot more
fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
The easiest way to make this happen is by planning before the week starts, having all your
ingredients ready to go and even having your kids help you prepare. There are plenty of quick, easy
meals you can find in cookbooks and online. Remember that the effort put into healthy cooking is
completely worth it if it keeps your family healthy.
As for the monetary aspect, spend more of your money on healthy fruits, vegetables and whole grains
and less money on the bad processed foods. It will even out in the end.
So, you can see that while roadblocks aren’t necessarily your fault, there are ways around it with just a
touch of preparation. Healthy meals for kids on a regular basic are possible, even for the busiest
families.

8. Getting Kids to Eat Healthy Starts With You
It can be a trying task to get kids to eat healthy foods. It doesn’t matter if they are three or 12! When
your kids don’t eat well it can make you feel frustrated on the one hand and sad on another. We all want
to see our kids nourished and healthy. These situations can make parents feel a little emotional.
The best influence parents have is by living and eating the way they want their kids to. They can have
much effect on what their kids eat without saying a word. Before expecting your kids to change their
eating habits, you must look at your own.
It’s true that we all enjoy non-healthy foods and you don’t have to beat yourself up about that. The key
is to eat those foods in moderation. They should be rare occurrences instead of daily occurrences.
As the parent in your household, you have a lot of power. You can totally stop buying chips and other
non-nutritious foods at the store and replace them with healthier snacks. You don’t have to buy frozen
pizzas and frozen dinners. You can start making quick but really healthy meals.
The key is to stay consistent. Each meal time make sure you have vegetables and healthy proteins.
When mom and dad eat it consistently over time, the kids will start to pick up on it.
When they see you enjoying your healthy food then they are much more likely to eat it too. This is not
an overnight process, but in time you will see positive changes.
Be patient and do your best to keep modeling healthy eating. It will pay off.

9. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Wise was born in Denver, Colorado and has lived in Washington State, California,
Connecticut and Tennessee. He now resides in Nashville, Tenn. and has been married to his lovely wife,
Kristy, since 2005. They have two children.
After receiving a Bachelors degree in radio/television production from Middle Tennessee State
University (MTSU), he has worked for ABC News, ESPN, the NHL Hockey Team Nashville Predators,
Fox Sports Net and syndicated radio talk-show host Dave Ramsey.
He has 11 years experience in physical fitness, weight training and healthy nutrition. He has three years
experience teaching children at his church in Nashville.
Jeff has a passion for teaching others the importance of health, fitness and proper nutrition.
Resources
Kids Exercise and Nutrition Blog
http://www.myfamilyexercise.com/kids-exercise
52 FREE Fun Kids Exercise Activities Straight From Real Parents
http://www.myfamilyexercise.com/kids-exercise-newsletter
Kids Health Club
http://www.myfamilyexercise.com/kids-health-club
Information about easy raw food eating plan
http://www.bestrawfoodplan.com

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