My little guy would rather drink anything but water, unless of course it’s bedtime (that’s the only time he wants to drink it…”more, mmmore, mmmorre water, please”). Getting kids to drink plenty of water goes beyond saving money at the grocery store. Drinking water is about health.

Actually, water is essential for good health. The body is made up of mostly water–our blood and organs contain water. Water helps regulate the body, remove waste, maximize efficiency, rejuvenate and protect, among other functions. Drinking too little water can lead to dehydration. Exercise and activity (think sweat, urination) can also lead to dehydration. Dehydration can interfere with overall healthy functioning, performance, and possibly result in illness.

Since, you’ve probably already lost your kids on these points, and you’ve probably already tried explaining the importance of drinking water a zillion times, here’s an approach to getting your kid to drink H2O.

1. Remind them that even if they don’t feel thirsty, they may need to drink water.

2. Tell them to look for clues (like a detective!). Urine color is a good indicator of hydration status (a yellow color and strong odor may indicate your kid needs to drink more water). Keep in mind headaches might also be associated with dehydration.

3. Give them a totally cool water bottle to keep with them throughout the day. Suggest that your kid play a game with the bottle. Whenever they “see” the bottle they have to take a sip from it. My kids love SIGG Kids Bottles and actually beg me for water refills!

4. Be that good influence. If you child sees you drink water, they will probably be more inclined to want to drink it.

As always, be sure to talk with your pediatrician or family doctor if you have any concerns about your child’s health or water consumption.

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Have you ever noticed how cute toddler fingers look when they’re perfecting their fine motor skills doing that little pincer grasp? Well, if you’re looking for a healthy snack besides Cheerios to put in those handy toddler friendly Snack ‘n Serve Cups, maybe Snikiddy, the new line of kid-friendly organic food products, is worth checking out. I stumbled across Snikiddy Rockin’ Ranch Puffs today at a grocery store. I admit, I’ve yet to taste test the product, and convincing my kids to try an alternative to Pirate’s Booty is going to take some serious coaxing. But just knowing another healthy snack exists for my kids rocks my parenting world.

Sure gotta’ love food companies that turn out parent approved products!

www.snikiddy.com

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Stonyfield Farm (my kids’ favorite organic yogurt company–we go through a six-pack just about every two days), makers of YoBaby and YoKids yogurt has introduced this month YoMommy yogurt.  This yogurt sounds like the ultimate in nutrition for pregnant moms.  Yogurt is already a superfood, but YoMommy contains added Folic Acid, DHA, and vitamin D for mom and baby.

If you haven’t yet seen YoMommy on your grocery store shelves, hopefully it will be there soon (or make a request for your store to carry it).  Word has it that the yogurt is just now hitting store shelves.

Remember, pregnancy is a time to take care of yourself (along with baby).  Eat well.  Rest when possible.  Find joy in the moments of pregnancy.  You deserve it, Mommy!

Peas?  No.  Green beans? No way.  Broccoli?  Definitely not.  Spinach?  You must be kidding!

Does this sound like a familiar theme in your household?  Some experts (including mom experts!) claim that it’s not unusual for young kids to refuse vegetables from time to time (or even for lengthy stages) during early childhood. 

I’m now experiencing veggie refusal with my toddler–who once seemed to love everything from asparagus to zucchini.  A friend recently reported that her six year old ”one day” miraculously emerged from a lengthy stage of picky eating– ”deciding” to eat veggies after years of veggie battles.

One way to help solve picky eating or to stem bouts of veggie refusal is to expose your child to a variety of vegetables (and foods generally, including fruit) early on.  Some parents find a teething feeder is a helpful way to introduce vegetables to young children, especially since they reduce choking risks.

Don’t despair if your child doesn’t take to eating veggies right away.  It may take 10-15 times of exposure before your child comes to like–or even try–what you put before her!

My kids are picky eaters, at least right now. They haven’t always been this way. Their food preferences wax and wane–what they love today might just become the food they despise tomorrow. There’s no rhyme or reason behind their preferences. At least not that I’ve yet figured out.  Sometimes I wonder if the snack plate or cup in which I serve the food has anything to do with it.

Coming up with snack ideas for picky eaters–healthy ones–isn’t always easy. Trust me, I know.  To make snack time more enjoyable (for parents and kids), I’ve put together a list of 10 simple snacks.

Go ahead, print out this list and tape it to the inside of a kitchen cupboard for use as a quick and easy snack planning reference.

1.  ‘Ol fashioned ants on a log. Celery with peanut butter*, add raisins on the top for ants (optional).  *Be sure your child is old enough for peanut butter–ask your pediatrician for guidance.

2. Pitas & hummus. Cut up small pieces of pita and let your little one enjoying dipping the pieces into hummus.

3. Apple slices (or small chunks) and cheddar cheese. Cabot Cheese is a favorite in my household.

4. Fruit salad. Combine assorted fruit in a bowl, like cut apples, pineapple, strawberries, and blueberries, and chill before serving. You can even mix in mini marshmallows or yogurt for a kid friendly touch.

5. Chocolate dipped strawberries. Melt a few milk chocolate chips in the microwave, and dip strawberries into the chocolate. Let cool and serve.

6. English muffin pizzas. Let your kids pick their favorite toppings.

7. Pinwheels. Roll up deli meat, cheese, and kid-friendly condiments (like mayo). Slice into bite-sized pinwheels.

8. Pretzels. Sure, you can buy pretzels, but you can also make them with your child–a fun, relatively quick activity with an edible end product!

9. Ice cream cone cupcakes. Prepare a cake mix, fill ice cream cones as you would if you were making cupcakes, bake until done (about 20-25 minutes).

10. Bagel pieces and cream cheese. Spread cream cheese on a bagel. Cut into bite-sized pieces. For variety, lightly spread a favorite jelly on top of the cream cheese.

If you have a simple kid friendly snack idea that you want to share, please leave a comment and tell me all about it–the more ideas for my picky eaters, the better!