Share how you make your children’s food win-win with Soreen - £200 voucher to be won

[CeriMumsnet]

This discussion is now closed

As a parent it can be tricky to make sure our children are enjoying a healthy, balanced diet, especially if we are now busy juggling work with home-schooling and the biscuit tin is within reach. Ensuring that their meals are nutritious enough to give us peace of mind but won’t go untouched, or that we’re stocked up with the right snacks to keep our children fuelled and able to concentrate throughout the day is a constant balance to strike, whether your DC are staying at home or still going into school this lockdown. With this in mind, Soreen would like to hear your stories and tips about making your kids’ foods ‘win-win.’

Here’s what Soreen has to say: "It’s only natural for parents to want to give their children what they ask for however, as we all know this can’t be done, especially when it comes to snacks.

And now with many families spending more time indoors and trying to balance work and home-schooling it can be even more tempting to say ‘yes’ to visiting the treat cupboard, especially if it means you might get some peace and quiet for your next virtual meeting.

With Soreen Lunchbox Loaves there is finally a treat you and your kids can both agree on. Containing 50% less sugar than the average cake bar, a source of fibre and low in saturated fat they’re a healthier alternative (don’t tell the kids!) that takes the guilt out of saying ‘yes’. They’re available in four squidgy and delicious fruity flavours; banana, apple, malt and strawberry, and come individually wrapped in a pack of 5 mini loaves - perfect for each day of the school week."

So have you resorted to hiding vegetables in your pasta sauces to ensure your DC get their 5 a day? Do you opt for low in sugar alternatives to your children’s favourite snacks, or have you set a lockdown snack-time routine that works for your family? Perhaps you teach your children about the importance of a balanced diet by saving dessert for the weekend?

Whatever your tips for making your children’s food win-win, all who post on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky MNer will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

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[BristolMum96]

I don't tolerate fussiness in my house. I accept a few dislikes but generally we all eat the same and we eat what we're given by the person cooking. I don't resort to hiding or bribes - just expect my child to try what's on the plate and they know this.

[Hopezibah]

I got so fed up of stocking up on the kids favourite foods and then find I have a cupboard full that they now dislike! One of the things that's helped shift my daughter towards healthier choices recently, is looking at sugar as a "project" she wanted to do and then look at alternatives that are healthier. She's drawn a food pyramid on her white board starting with 8 glasses of water at the bottom, 6 portions of veg, 3 of fruit, 2 complex carbs and 2 proteins and right at the top a portion of nuts and seeds and it has made her open to trying lots of different veggies to normal as she knows she can then add it to her chart. Having healthier options ready also helps prevent my kids for reaching for the crisps and biscuits when they need a snack (which seems very often at the moment!)

[Kweenxo]

I'm lucky that the kids love their veggies. No need to force them to eat broccoli for example, because they love it (whereas I've only just recently started liking it lol). I think it's important to feed kids different kids of food (including the good healthy stuff) when they're younger so that they get used to the taste and start liking it from that young age, because as they start to get older, they'll end up reaching that age where it gets hard to change their minds. And thats the time where you end up resorting to hiding stuff lol.

[lillypopdaisyduke]

My children will eat vegetables quite happily. To get them to eat them at school, I make a dip (tomatoes, celery and garlic (a little sugar for the acidity) and boil down to a sauce), a reduced fat squeezy cheese dip, for their carrot sticks and celery chunks.
For vitamin B - the banana soreen is a lunch box staple for us too.
If I make gravy for Sunday lunch - I boil a carrot, onion and potato and then blitz - add a stockpot for a chicken or beef gravy.

[Asuwere]

My DC all have different likes and dislikes, which is natural. They have all had a varied, healthy (for most part) diet from the start and they are fairly willing to try new things which is good. I do put extra veg in any sauces etc but it's not 'hidden', we all know it's there and the DC know it's good for them. I think getting them involved in cooking or making packed lunches helps as they learn how to have balanced meals and they can't complain about something they've made. (Well they can but not as much! )

[sharond101]

I roast or stew lots of vegetables like peppers, onions, mushrooms, courgettes and puree them before adding chopped tomatoes, herbs, garlic and mince to make a bolognese sauce for lasagne or spaghetti bolognese. They know no different!

[MrsFrTedCrilly]

Try not to make food a reward or a treat, food is just food.
We have a reasonably healthy diet at home the kids do have certain likes and dislikes but constant exposure to new foods has helped them have a varied palate. I cook one meal we all eat it, lunch boxes for my youngest is my biggest challenge (dislikes sandwiches/wraps)so there’s a random assortment of fruit veg and crackers that will get eaten. Even the occasion Soreen bar. Please bring back the orange flavour!!

[maisietoo]

My daughter is the fussiest eater - no cheese, no cream, no butter etc. I think the best thing is a regular Sunday meal at the dining table with family and friends invited round. It means that it's less about the food but more about the conversation and company and she might try things she hasn't tasted before. She also tries different food when she goes round to her friends' houses. (Obviously not now!)

[RACHELSMITH45]

One of my children is a brilliant healthy eater and another very fussy! For the fussy one...I tend to hide blended veg in soups and sauces for her. I make fruit salads look fun e.g make them in shapes of funny faces , nice and colourful etc. It seems to do the trick most of the time!🙂

[voyager50]

He has always been given the same food as everyone else so he has always eaten everything - like @BristolMum96 I prefer for one meal to be cooked and everyone to enjoy the same meal.

[beccyr36]

My 6 year old eats what we eat and loves fruit & veg. If she's hungry she asks for fruit as she understands that unhealthy foods don't fill her up or give her energy. She loves a Soreen loaf either in her school lunch box or as a snack to have on the walk home from school. Soreen loaves are always in our cupboard as I like to have one occasionally as a snack too.

[littleny]

Given the choice, my children would not opt for a healthy snack. Additionally, my youngest (age 4) is fussy and tends to pick at her plate. To ensure they get a good mix of vitamins, I produce a fruit and veg platter around lunch or tea time. I put their favourites such as sweet peppers, cucumber, grapes or bananas along with something new. I encourage them to try the new food but if they choose not to, then that's fine. Last week I was pleasantly surprised by them liking celery (I've never been that keen myself until recently). I leave the platter there and they can snack as they please. This has stopped them hunting for the biscuits!

[sheilads105]

Getting the kids involved in cooking, shopping and choosing dishes really helps. There's fewer arguments.

[Montydoo]

I find lots of colours help, red and yellow peppers both raw and cooked in cottage pie and stir fries are a big hit with both my boys.
I find baby vegetables are easier to get them to eat - especially carrots and the mini sweet pepper and mange toute.
If there is a new vegetable (butternut squash for example) I will get them to try a tiny bit first, and if they like it give them it again, if not, I won't make a big deal - but try it at a later date. Palettes change and new flavours can be loved - for me it was sweet potato wedges recently

[pushchairprincess]

I offered my children raw carrots when they were around 18 months, to get used to the taste and help with chewing. I offered pureed vegetables whilst weaning (blended carrots, butternut squash, leeks etc) to get used to the flavours.
They will eat a small amount of vegetables when offered, but if they dislike a new flavour (celery for example) I won't offer again for another few months -then will try with a dip.
I think it's important to offer vegetables but not to get too stressed if they won't eat - they may happily eat it a few weeks later.
Don't get angry if they wont try - it will more than likely give them an unconscious dislike of the food long term.

[jacqui5366]

I use a lot of peppers in my meals - red orange and yellow, in my stir fries, shepherds pies and mild curries - I will also blend onions, garlic and broccoli and add this to the meal - also my gravy is an onion, carrot, onion boiled and blended with a 'stockpot' which is much more tasty and I can get more essential vitamins into our diet.
Not managed anything with sprouts yet though

[ohdannyboy]

My fail safe healthy dish is a shepherds pie, mince mean. (5% fat) which I brown, I add some chopped yellow and red pepper (then blend garlic carrots and onion) and add to the browned mince, add a beef stockpot, and top with a sweet potato and maris piper mashed topping - then make gravy with blitzed boiled carrot, onion and potato with an oxo and cornflour to thicken - served with a portion of garden peas or sweet corn - empty plates every time !

[mummyuk86]

I make it into a competition for my son. He's not keen on vegetables so i challenge him to a eat all the vegetables i put on his place. It worked this week with carrots :)

[Serender]

Thankfully I haven't had this issue as the kids love everything.

[BrieAndChilli]

Get the child involved in the cooking. I’ve found they will suddenly want to try a mushroom or a new dish if they have been involved in the prepping of the meal!

[PatrishaPatel]

I make happy faces with the veggies. It always makes the kids giggle.

[lolly2011]

I encourage my children to keep trying different fruit, vegetables and meals. I find encouraging them to help with the cooking makes a big difference. I explain the nutritional benefits and have lots of different fruits and vegetables in.

[ruqiya1965]

Initially I used to have rewards for them which always helped but then I found rewards were no longer needed.

[saffysabir]

I use a star chart at the moment, only because I enjoy seeing the enjoyment on the kids faces. After every 20 stars or so, they get a reward. It's not necessarily something big, but it could be an extra 10 mins of playing for example.

[salemaxo]

My kids are quite picky. They won't eat anything that's cut too big, so even though it takes extra time, I do cut up the veggies small just so they can eat it. The veggies they don't like, I incorporate in things like sauces or in freshly prepared juice in our juicer.