Any suggestions?
So my mum and I are trying to introduce some healthier food into my little sister's diet (mind you, she's 13). She eats the worst food...it seems like she only eats ice cream and hot fudge, bologna sandwiches, kraft mac and cheese, hot pockets (pizza flavour), fruit roll ups, frozen french fries, and ham-cheese-mayo subs from subway (extra mayo). And she eats hardly anything without ranch dressing. We're not really trying to make her vegan...just a bit healthier is all. She's just so picky! She eats no veggies except for the occasional carrot and winter squash, she doesn't like sandwiches, peanut butter is out of the question, she's not big on breakfast foods unless it's rice crispy cereal with loads of sugar and milk, or pancakes with real maple syrup...she hates beans and most soups...we're just going crazy! Any menu suggestions?
Lasagna? You can hide the veggies in the sauce.
put some chili on her fries.....make vegan mac and chees with broccoli, make mini calzones with veggies hidden inside, try having make your own subs at home with healthy options, do maple brown sugar oatmeal, smoothies....i will try to think of more.
Hide chopped vegetables in flavors she already likes, like the calzone suggestion.
Think toddler food (it sounds like she likes finger food). Any chance she'll go for a spring roll? Maybe cruise the Stroller Derby board for ideas.
She's not big on pasta, she hates the taste of chili, she only eats boxed stovetop mac and cheese, hates oatmeal, never has veggies in her sub (refuses to actually) and ...yeah. Maybe the calzone thing would work. It's just so frustrating!
I would suggest to get rid of all the bad stuff (the premade/boxed stuff) and when she gets hungry she wont have a choice... that is unless she is doing her own grocery shopping. there are also recipes that you can "sneak" veggies in sweet foods... but i never really saw the point in those unless it is an occasional make a healthier sweet food, not for the purpose of regular veggie consumption.
I have to say, I agree with Jessie. Your sis is used to being pandered to. That's why she will "only" eat this or that...because so far it's been allowed. It may be a little late and a little tough to change her habits but if the junk simply isn't available she won't have a choice. There will be tantrums etc but stand firm...in 3 weeks she will have gotten used to the new regime.
Teach her to cook real mac and cheese or real versions of other dishes. Participating in the making often helps change kids' perspective of food.
you can put nori flakes in sauces. not too much.
Pizzas are good, make a smal with vegies in it, but blend them.. really small! like a purree and make it look just like regualr sauce. maybe that will help.
Try home made fries with sweet potato or squash.
I guess start small.
And i agree just stop having store bought things.
E.g oh no we dont have any mac and cheese. We should just make some ourselves... and then she has a choice to try what you make or hmmm find her own dinner.
Make homemade things, ranch dressing, if its made with tofu it will give her some protien :)
Try this mac and cheeze recipe: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=8295.0
I use 4 oz. of tofu instead of whatever 1/4 of a block would be. My DH adores this.
Salads or vegetable tempura/batter fried vegetables with different styles of dips.
word on not buying the crappy foods... if everyone else in the house wants to eat healthy then stop enabling the little one... maybe having her pick out recipes she thinks sound good, veganizing them, and having her help out in preparing the meals might make it more fun?
or... she just is very set on not doing what others want her to do? i know i am very defensive about feeling controlled... does she cook the crap food herself? or does someone else make it for her? maybe saying, "Fine, eat whatever but I'm not cooking it, you can do it yourself or you could just sit back and just enjoy some delicious food"
Agreed w/ everybody. It takes kids a lot of times of trying something to acquire a taste for new foods, and it sounds as if she is still at that picky toddler stage of eating. At 13 she can definitely help w/ the cooking-its a good skill to learn anyway. She also should go to the store w/ your mom and you, and simply skip by the junkfood/frozen isles. Maybe she'll find a certain veggie she does like, and then progress from there. And if your mom wants her to be healthier, she needs to quit buying the junkfood. Even if your sister refuses to eat for a couple days out of spite or whatever, she won't starve. Maybe she needs to do something that makes her appreciate the fact that she has the option of healthy food. A soup kitchen maybe? Anyway, many big sister points to you for caring!
Hey everyone, thanks for all of your advice! My mum and I are trying (rather unsuccessfully). We provide good, whole foods - yummy ones we thought that she would like...like winter squash, potatoes, baked apples, bananas...but still she would rather have junk! We've made numerous soups and she refuses to eat them (even potato soup! who turns down potato soup, for god's sake!) We even make vegan mac and cheese. It makes me wonder if I was this stubborn when I was 13...and that I should take away the bottle of ranch dressing. XD
I dunno I feel it might be a little too late to force veganism on someone :( it is probably making her want to go against your wishes even more you know... Maybe just buy her what she wants but have her make it and always offer he your wonderful meals :) or see if she wants to pick something out that you would both want to eat... i dunno
I have a picky 13 year old daughter also and have found giving her control of what she eats really helps her make better choices. I take her grocery shopping with me, we get coffee first then wander around whole foods or trader joes. When she has a hand in what fruits and vegetables we buy she is more apt to eat them.We also try to find healthier versions of what she likes and talk about why some things just arent good for your body. Lucky for me she is a vegetarian but doesn't like any meat analogs and would live on french fries and crackers if I let her. I also puree veggies into sauces and she can't tell. She will drink smoothies if I make them for her so I hide all kinds of stuff in those, from packets of dried greens to hemp protein or frozen fruits she says she doesn't like and she has no idea ;) the key is adding little bits and working your way up. I also tell her that you have to keep trying things because your taste buds can change and just because you didn't like it as a little kids doesn't mean she won't like it now that is she older. Hope this helps!