Thank you Brainiac™ Kids for sponsoring this post. Brain food kids want to eat!
“My kids are going to eat everything, I won’t have it any other way.” The words that were uttered from the mom of an infant, as I struggled to get my son to eat anything other than a chip at the party we were attending. The words, they stung a little, but I was once her – the mom of an infant who was convinced my children would be good eaters. From the time they could eat, I gave them anything and everything. They gobbled up avocados, green beans, oatmeal and quinoa. I really thought I was winning at the whole mom thing. Then, things changed.
My Picky Eaters
Fast forward to about the age of two, if I’m remembering right, and my first son became anti-food. If it wasn’t a cookie or a cracker – he wasn’t about that life. I hoped it was a phase and continued to push all the veggies on him, but he pushed back and momma just wanted that baby to eat. Little by little, just getting him to eat turned into an eight-year-old that is still just as picky. His little brother also followed suit.
Sneaky Fruits and Veggies
Mommas worry, and this momma worries all the time that my boys aren’t getting enough. Their bodies are growing and moving, and they need proper nutrition to grow strong healthy bones, and brains! On average, most children only get about 20% of the daily brain building omega-3s they need – I know my boys could easily fall into that category.
My boys tend to gravitate to simple foods. I can get them to eat a simple banana, green beans and grilled chicken, but if it’s any more complex than that, they aren’t eating it. So, I try to get creative.
Smoothies
Thank goodness my boys love a good smoothie! You can mix so many good things into a smoothie and they think it’s a treat. They’re picky enough that they won’t dare touch the smoothie if it has something like kale in it, but I can sneak in an avocado with banana, only if they don’t watch me make it.
Pasta Sauces
Another way I hide nutrients in their diet is with pasta sauces. Both of my boys enjoy pasta, especially my little guy, and it’s easy to put a lot of nutrients into one dish. Marinara sauce has a lot of yummy veggies built-in, but I also like adding butternut squash or pumpkin to alfredo sauce!
Brainiac™ Kids Applesauce
Aside from dinnertime, my kids are snack crazy. If you leave my four-year-old unattended for five minutes, he’s in the cabinet tearing up the snacks. So, I love when I can keep snacks on hand that are just as sneaky as I am. I was recently introduced to Brainiac™ Kids Applesauce and not only do my boys gobble it up, I feel good about what’s inside.
Brainiac™ Kids Applesauce isn’t just a simple fruit and veggies pouch that is easy to throw into a lunch box, these pouches are the only snack that also includes brain fueling nutrients! Kids need omega-3s, just like adults, to fuel their creative, growing minds. Each serving of Brainiac™ Kids Applesauce includes BrainPack®, a one-of-kind blend of omega-3 DHA/EPA and choline. BrainPack® helps my kids get as much as 90% of their daily omega-3s, so they’re no longer part of that 20% statistic!
What’s Inside?
Let’s get into the flavors and what’s inside. My boys personally love the Strawberry flavor, but there is also a Cinnamon, and Apple flavor. They’re made with 100% real fruit, no added sugars, and no artificial preservatives.
Each flavor has different fruits pureed inside, you may be surprised to find that the Strawberry flavor also has banana, and blackberry. The omega-3 content is from added fish oil, but don’t worry – the kids won’t taste a thing!
The powerful ingredients in each 3.2 oz pouch contains as much omega-3 DHA/EPA as a 1 oz. of salmon, and as much Choline as 2 cups of broccoli! I may not be able to get my boys to take a bite of salmon, but they will down an applesauce pouch – so I’m thankful for that!
Where to Buy?
All three flavors are available on Amazon. Enter below by following Brainiac on Instagram to win one of five $50 Amazon e-gift cards to give Brainiac™ Kids Applesauce Kids a try for yourself! They also make a yummy yogurt full of nutrients for growing minds! Giveaway will run from 1/24-2/1.
While I’m sneaking in nutrients any way I can, I still try to encourage my boys to step out of their picky eating box every chance I get. Little by little, they’re expanding their horizons, but I’m thankful for tricks and convenience options from companies like Brainiac™ Kids in the meantime.
Do you have picky eaters?
-Brooke
