Summer brings with it all sorts of great fresh produce. But what do you do when you have a hard time getting your children to eat their summer veggies?  Here’s a fun idea that worked like a charm on my children, who range in age from four to ten years old. We threw a “food tasting party”.

A food tasting party works like this:

1. Announce with great fanfare that you are throwing a super-cool party and you need the kids’ help planning it;

2. Tell them that it’s going to be a special “taste test party”, with some great new foods (insert veggie names here); make sure you are honest about the foods you will be serving, but make it sound like the fun adventure it is going to be;

3. If (or when!) the kids express suspicion or dismay, encourage them by telling them that you will be cleansing their palate in between tastings with… (pick your not-too-sweet treat and insert it here) and explain that a “tasting” means only one bite.

4. The keys are: the festive atmosphere, getting the kids involved with the planning, and the presentation of foods in a party style.

Gather four new foods you’d like your children to try. Think about how to present them in a fun way; can you use cookie cutters to make fun shapes? Or can you arrange them in a funny face on the plate?  Do your children love sauces? Ketchup?  Even if a vegetable (or fruit!) would not normally be served with a condiment, does it really matter? The point is to get the kids to try it… if that means lettuce dipped in a bit of ketchup do we really care?  All we really want from the tasting party is for the kids to have fun and to learn to be open to trying new food.

Getting the children to buy into the process early is important. Ask the kids to help prepare the foods and set out the palate-cleansing treats (tip: don’t pick a treat that is too sweet – it just makes vegetables seem more sour. Instead, try something neutral, like a favorite cracker, animal cookies or another plain food).

Make sure you participate in the tasting, too.  Tell them that after they each have a taste, they can put a blindfold on you and feed you a surprise bite.  If your children decide to dip your lettuce in ketchup, make a big deal of what a unique flavor it is – and how wonderful it is to try new things, even if we decide after that we don’t like them.

We’ve thrown tasting parties several times. Do our kids now love all vegetables? Not at all, but they are remarkably willing to try new foods – both at home and out.  And that’s a great step!

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Kid’s Food Tasting Party Encourages Healthy Eating

Here are 10 ways that brides can reduce stress before their big day:

1. Invest in a wedding planner.  Yes, this costs money, but it is money well spent. A good planner will coordinate the big details, take care of the little details and let you enjoy your day.

2. Think small. If you can’t afford a wedding planner then aim to keep your wedding simple, and better yet, small. Small is intimate!

3. Either way, make a plan.  Write down everything you need to do and check it off as it gets done. You will feel more in control and less stressed about forgetting something important.

4. Delegate. Delegate to your bridal party and to your family.  Family – especially parents and parents-to-be – often want to be involved, so let them.  You don’t have to let them make the major decisions, but including everyone will go a long way in starting off on the right foot!

5. Don’t sweat the small stuff. This would have been especially good advice for me! Trust me, after your wedding, no one is going to remember the color of your tablecloths, but they will remember if your face was glowing… or if your under-eye bags rivaled the bride of Frankenstein!

6. Continue exercising.  Don’t let stress stop you from exercising – this is when you really need those wonderful endorphins!  Caution: now is not necessarily the time to begin exercising if you aren’t already – perhaps stick with walking or yoga and start something more strenuous after the wedding.

7. Schedule periods of relaxation.  As the time before your wedding becomes shorter, you may feel like you have too much to do to spend any time relaxing. But taking time for your self is important! Unwind with a massage or a book or however you like to chill. You’ll be glad you did!

8. Try to stick with healthy foods. This one is a biggy! During times of stress we often reach for food that is convenient and comforting and unfortunately those choices may not be the best. Try to avoid heavy carbohydrates, high fat foods and desserts. Your body – and your wedding photos – will benefit.

9. Avoid caffeine and alcohol – and I hope I needn’t mention drugs?  You want to glow in your photos, not look buzzed or dopey.

10. DON’T try anything new.  No extreme diets, no new cleanses, no face lifts – nothing your body isn’t already accustomed to. Give yourself a break – because the best time to try new things is on your honeymoon!

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Post from: Diets in Review Blog

10 Ways to Reduce Stress Before the Dress