In thinking about my post for today I remembered a line I heard in some movie somewhere. I don’t remember the context, but I clearly can hear the character stating, “Keep it simple, stupid.” What an intriguing concept! In my effort to find the origins of this phrase, I learned that it comes from the US Navy in 1960!
Margaret Rouse explains in Techopedia, “The ‘keep it simple stupid’ (KISS) principle is a design rule that states that systems perform best when they have simple designs rather than complex ones. KISS is not meant to imply stupidity. On the contrary, it is usually associated with intelligent systems that may be misconstrued as stupid because of their simplistic design.”
One thing I’ve learned through years of trial and error (and a good amount of bang-my-head-against-the-wall frustration), when it comes to implementing better nutrition with my kids, simplicity is key! Kids do not want or need complex plans or Pinterest worthy meals and snacks. Trust me, after exhausting myself with these overcomplicated ideas, the one idea that’s finally worked for all of us was to just keep it simple, stupid!
Here’s my top tips that have been a game changer in my home:
1. Put fresh produce on the table at every meal. 
I often stressed about having the most complimentary side dishes with each meal, and if the fresh veggies or fruit in my fridge didn’t fit the meal, I didn’t bring them out. What a silly hang-up! Kids aren’t chefs who care about meal cohesiveness. I started taking whatever healthy, fresh foods I had and just put them out on the table at each meal.
The rule was you had to eat some of something on there with your meal. This gave my kids the feeling of being in control, while also ensuring they ate fresh foods at every meal. Plus, it helps to form the habit of having something fresh and raw every time you eat! Simple for me, simple for them.
2. Use produce Tupperware.
I only recently discovered produce Tupperware and wow! I’m sure most, if not all, of us can agree that it often feels like a race against the clock to eat all our produce before it goes bad. There’s always those few items that we need for meals but can never seem to eat all of before it’s wilted and gross. My top two struggles are lettuce and celery.
I saw these nifty containers in a friend’s fridge that are specific for produce. They are meant to keep it fresh longer. I got some and can attest to their success. My lettuce has been good for two weeks!
Not only are these dreamy containers a money saver, but a huge time saver too! Remember step one? Well, if you’re rushing to finish up dinner, having to slice, dice, cube, or otherwise prepare your fresh produce side dish can be a pain. What I’ve found is that when I get my produce, I get it all prepared for easy consuming right then and there and store it in these containers in the fridge.
One container has all my washed and sliced berries. Another, chopped up cucumber and carrot. A third, washed grapes. Now, at all mealtimes, I simply grab the container and put it in the middle of the table.
3. Implement the one-for-one rule.
Let’s be real here, no child will always want and eat healthy food all the time. While I am very careful and selective of the snacks we have in the home, there are more fun snacks too. We’ve started a rule that anytime they get a fun snack, they must get a healthy snack with it. Again, this helps kids feel more in control of their decisions, while encouraging healthy eating habits.
4. Mix it in!
This trick I learned a few years ago from Stephanie Anderson’s book, Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is. In her book, Stephanie advises, when making healthy changes, to start slow and mix the new food into what you usually serve. For example, to transition to whole brown from refined white rice just mix a small amount of brown rice in with the white rice for a while, increase the amount over time, until you can make the full switch.
I’ve done this many times with grains like brown rice and quinoa. I also do it with produce! I add new or less popular items to the ones they already know and love. Even if they reject it or complain, I keep offering it. Eventually, my kids get used to the new item and it becomes normal to them. Now, I won’t lie and say they will eventually love everything I give them. Some foods my kids will never eat, no matter how much I give it to them (Brussels sprouts are a no-go!), but this trick has helped make previous taboos new fan favorites!
Let’s stop the grueling food wars with our kids. They only exhaust us and frustrate them. We don’t want to make mealtimes dreaded and miserable. Simple steps make a huge difference. Be patient, be flexible, give kids options, and above all, KISS!
Do you have tips or tricks that work for your family? If so, share below!
Images from iStock/Elena Gurova (main), monkeybusinessimages (post).
