Michelle Obama's Tips for Getting Toddlers to Eat Healthy Food

on February 15, 2012 at 10:01 AM

michelle obama kids Why do we love Michelle Obama? Because she's just like us! Just another mom facing the same day-to-day parenting challenges the rest of us face. Like convincing her kids to pick apples over cookies, for example.

Which leads me to another reason why we love Michelle Obama: She's devoted to convincing our kids to pick apples over cookies, too. I can't think of a better cause for the First Lady to take up than getting America's children to eat healthy, and she's doing an amazing job of educating and encouraging parents as well.

No surprise there -- she's speaking from experience:

"This is something that most parents including Barack and I have dealt with," she said in a recent interview.

"Our kids did not come into this world as vegetable fans, and it wasn't easy to get them focused on eating the things that were right for them. But there are a couple of things we found in our house that really help."

More from The Stir: How Michelle Obama Fights the Childhood Obesity Epidemic

Here's what works in the White House:

1. Have fresh produce around and make it easy to access. "It tastes so much better when it's fresh," says the First Lady.

2. Let kids pick which fruits and vegetables they like and make them available at home. "For example, I like to keep a bowl of fresh fruit in the kitchen so that it's easy for the girls to reach and have that available instead of cookies and other snacks," she says. Adding: "Now I'm not saying that always happens, that they always go for the apple instead of the cookie, but it does help."

3. Make healthy eating a habit from the very start. "It is much easier to get your kids to eat healthier foods if it's always been a part of their lives," says the First Lady.

"It's a lot of work, but it's well worth it."

Wise words!

How do you get your kids to eat healthy foods?

Image via Official Navy Page/Flickr

About the author Jacqueline Burt

has written for numerous magazines, newspapers, and websites. She is easily bored and often tired, so she requires constant entertainment to keep her awake. Dance, Monkey! Dance!

Filed Under: picky eaters, nutrition, toddler health

Comments (33)

EquestrianMom

on Feb 15, 2012 at 10:12 AM

I'm kinda lucky, I have a five yr old, and an older SO who due to high blood pressure is always watching his diet. Once a week my son and I make a home-made baked goodie, and I keep a candy stash (for good behaviour, suprise treats, mommies grumpy and needs some chocolate days) and this helps a lot. Because otherwise all we have is organic, low sugar fruit snacks, veggies (that I wash, chop, and store in snack bags in the fridge) yogurts, whole grain cereals, ect. My son eats very well, because that is what is available to him, candy, cookies, brownies, cakes, sugar treats are just that, treats!

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niamibunni

on Feb 15, 2012 at 10:16 AM

Yet in another post, people are shaking their fists at the government for 'policing' what our kids eat.

billsfan1104

on Feb 15, 2012 at 10:25 AM

I so cannot wait until this couple is voted out. You act like she is a queen an she is the only one that Can tell us what is the right thing to eat. How about instead of telling us what to eat, make fresh vegatables cheaper and more accessable in the poorcommunities?

buffalove23

on Feb 15, 2012 at 10:44 AM

How is she telling you what to do? Her comments are common sense. Keep fresh fruit out and start young. That is what you should be doing. No need for someone to tell you.

on Feb 15, 2012 at 11:01 AM

I do understand your point though...produce does need to be more accessible in poor areas but honesty in those communities, they are probably receiving food stamps anyways so what are they spending money on? Food wise anyways

Alma45

These are wise suggestions. You can take them or leave them. This isn't a case of the government "policing" your food choices.

Rhodin

on Feb 15, 2012 at 11:04 AM

Her advice is similar to what I'd get here if I asked the Toddler board how to get my daughter to eat more plantlife. It only gets obnoxious when it stops being friendly advice and gets added to a bill or written into an executive order.

mamajen82

on Feb 15, 2012 at 11:12 AM

I lucked out... my toddler prefers greens over everything else :-)

RhondaVeggie

on Feb 15, 2012 at 11:24 AM

What an evil and terrible woman, abusing her position of power! Imagine having the nerve to give people advice from her own experience. It's almost as if she wants our children to grow up healthy. People really will look for any excuse to whine about our first family, won't they?

She is giving people good advice. The only thing I worry about is that some poor families will listen and decide it's not possible for them and that a healthy diet is elitist. It's sad because it's really not as hard to get healthy food in poor areas as people like to make out. My usual farmers market is in the inner city and they accept WIC. In winter the best veggies in town come from the Asian grocer which is next to two, soon to be three, low income apartment complexes and a grocery store in the poor part of town. Getting to the good stuff might mean a bus or subway ride but if you compare the cost of shopping at a convenience store versus going to the farmers market you will find the farmers market prices more than make up for the fare and the hassle of spending twenty minutes in transit. I've been known to spend an hour getting to the big farmers market in Boston because the stuff is so good and so well priced, last time I was there I picked up a box of 12 mangos for $5 and that alone pays for the train fare from the suburbs let alone a local subway ride.

Nonmember comment from Clover

on Feb 15, 2012 at 11:31 AM

Complete independant voter here. I tend to see the bad and good of both "parties" and all candidates. However, I think the Republican assault on Mrs. Obama's healthy food initiative is pretty weak. That being said. One of the drawers in my fridge is full of different kinds of fresh fruit and my kids have free reign over whatever they want out of there. It has really worked. They go for fruit if they are hungry for a snack.