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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (March 18, 2015)
18 Wednesday, March 18, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Getting your kids to eat well By Jim cornelius News Editor The dinner table can turn into a battleground when you’re trying to get your kids to eat well. Nobody wants to be that parent bat- tling a picky eater. In addi- tion to being unpleasant, fighting over food can be counterproductive. “That was something I did not want to do,” says Angeline Rhett, of Angeline’s Bakery and Café. “I did not want my kids to hate healthy eating. I just didn’t do the battles.” But Rhett understands better than most the impor- tance of healthy eating. It’s her business and her calling. So what do you do? Angeline sneaks the good stuff in — making the kid- favored mac-and-cheese a somewhat healthier profile. “Yeah, it does have cheese and butter and milk, but I do put in processed carrots and nutritional yeast,” she says. “I sneak it in there.” She also notes that some- times a kid’s problem isn’t with the flavor of the food as much as it is the texture. Jess Draper has had good success in building good eat- ing habits with her children. “Involve the kids,” she suggests. “Let them help choose the fresh or frozen produce at the store. Have them join you in an Internet search about the food to find out how it can benefit you, and healthful ways to prepare it. Or let the children peruse a colorful cookbook themed on vegetables, or raw recipes, or whatever healthy diet per- suasion your family favors. Cookbooks can be checked out from the library.” Small tricks can entice a child. “Serving something in a different way, frozen blue- berries instead of fresh for example, can make all the difference in kids wanting to try something,” Draper says. Getting kids interested in where food comes from can help, too. “Grow sprouts in your kitchen,” Draper says. “With a few simple supplies your children can watch seeds turn into healthy edibles in a couple days. Find instruc- tions online at www.urban earthworm.org/2014/04/28/ grow-sprouts-jar. “Help your child plant a garden, as simple as a flower pot on the porch with easy- to-grow peas. Their invest- ment in nurturing the plants that produce their food will likely make the eating all the more enjoyable for them.” Kids are different — even when they’ve been raised exactly the same. Rhett notes that one of her children is “an omnivore.” The other under- stands the value of healthy eating, but… “He knows the drill, but he wants pancakes for break- fast, he wants peanut but- ter and jam on bread and he wants meat and cheese for dinner,” she says. I think that sugar is … I really think it’s just the devil. Halloween just stresses me out. — angeline rhett If there’s one thing Rhett tries to take a hard line on, it’s sugar intake. “I think that sugar is … I really think it’s just the photo by Jess Draper your kids just might think homegrown peas are more fun to eat! devil,” she says. “Halloween just stresses me out.” You can avoid having sug- ary snacks around the house and provide healthy, flavor- ful alternatives. Eventually, your child is going to want to eat something — and if what’s on hand beats a mas- sive sugar surge, that’s all to the good. Substituting healthier ingredients is one way of “getting there” with kids. But sometimes you just have to back off a bit and hope that simply modeling good eating habits will eventually catch on. “He knows my platform,” Angeline says. “You can put it out there — this is where I’m coming from. None of us can hit it all the time.” Rhett reported a sign that the message is getting through. Her strong-willed eater knows that healthy eating in the morning can boost performance — and he recently asked his mom for a green smoothie to fortify him for competition in Battle of the Books at school. HEALTHY & DELICIOUS! Angeline’s Bakery SOMETHING FOR EVERY DIETARY NEED! GLUTEN-FREE | DAIRY-FREE | VEGAN | RAW • Creative selection of lunch entrées and soups • Fresh handcrafted baked goods daily • Organic fresh fruit & vegetable juices • Green smoothies e s 121 W. Main Ave. 541-549-9122 k www.AngelinesBakery.com Eating well is easy at Angeline’s Bakery. With the availability of all kinds of delicious alternative ingredients, you can eat delicious meals and des- serts with a clear conscience — and no sacrifice in flavor. Try a plate of gluten-free/dairy-free lasagna — or how about some delectable cheesecake — that’s actually healthy. Healthful substitute ingredients make these dishes taste like their naughty cousins, says Angeline Rhett, who works hard to stay abreast of all the wonderful alternatives that are now available to people who either have dietary restrictions or simply want to lead a more healthful life. “Eating healthy is really an opportunity to be creative,” she says. Folks are continually surprised how tasty a healthful alternative can be. So if you want yummy without feeling bad afterward, come to Angeline’s and explore a menu that will satisfy your cravings — and leave you feeling good all over. 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