It seems like an elusive concept. Kids eating veggies, meat, and healthy fats and enjoying it? Aren’t kids supposed to eat kid food? According to our media, kids will only eat foods that taste insanely sweet, salty, or comes neatly packaged in bright colored superhero boxes. I challenge you to consider this: Who made this rule and why are we supposed to follow it? Something is wrong here, really really wrong. Think back not so long ago to Little House on the Praire days. Could you imagine Laure Ingalls refusing to eat her home cooked meal and her Ma giving in and making her a “special” kid dinner? Holy cow, no way in Prairie heck would Ma have done that. So, why do we?
I used to feed my kids special kid food, that’s for darn sure and I did it because I fell into a routine of giving my kids “kid” food thinking that it was the only way I would be able to get them to eat at all. It became easy, convenient, and my kids would eat a lot of that “kid” food without any argument. Another falisy we seem to have adopted; children for some reason need to eat three gigantic meals a day in order to be healthy. Again, we are have missed the mark. Kids have an innate ability that if not tampered with, will allow them to eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. Often for active kiddos a day of eating will look more like grazing rather than sitting and wolfing down gigantic portions of foods. Think about how small a toddlers tummy is and how much food it actually takes to fill it up and relax a bit if your little ones are not wolfing down adult sized portions at every meal.
Let’s think a bit more about kiddos. Are their taste buds different than a grown-ups? Sure, of course they have a more sensitive palate, especially the younger ones who are developing faster than the speed of light and kids are different every single day. Feeding kids healthy paleo foods does not mean expecting your little ones to love kale and collards or to hear them beg for more asparagus; it’s about offering them healthy choices and revelling in the fact that kids will eat real food when that is what you have to offer!!
Remember when you first started eating paleo? You really craved those carbs, you cried for your daily doses of sugar, you probably, if like me, hated everyone in your family for at least a week because they were an easy target as you longed for your nightly bowl(s) of banana nut clusters. But what happened next? You started to feel better. The cravings went away. You realized that you loved how real food tasted and you started looking forward to your paleo meals and stopped wanting to die for your old food.
Kids are the same exact way, I promise. We just have to give them a chance. There are ways to make the transition less traumatic or not traumatic at all for that matter, and I have an entire section in my book dedicated to helping parents be successful in getting the kids on board the paleo train, and I will talk about the most important step here.
Get your kids in the kitchen!!! All kids can help, even little babies can stir, drop in veggies, and add spices. Older kids can cook, pick out ingredients, and even meal plan. Getting rid of all the junk food is paramount in your success. If you keep a stash of pop-tarts or apple cinnamon oatmeal, you WILL GIVE IN when you are rushed, busy, stressed and faced with a whining child. If you do not have the kid food as an option, it’s just that, not an option! Serve your healthy meals with a smile and a kiss, sing and dance together in the kitchen, let your kids make a mess, let them choose what they want out of your healthy paleo options, be patient and know that even if your little ones decide to skip a meal out of total revolt, they will not starve. Maintain a positive and cheerful “we can do this attitude” and you will succeed. Focus on what you will do next rather then the fact that the plates lack the pasta! A fun game of soccer in the back yard or tag in the living room should be the focus for all kids – not the lack of hamburger buns – distraction is awesome!!
I realize 100% that this blog post is just the tip of the paleo kids iceberg, and I have written about this concept before but everyone needs a place to start; I know because I have been there. So here’s a list to focus on as you start your paleo kid journey:
1. Rid the house of the junk.
2. Do not make a big deal about the transition to healthier eating and focus on FUN!
3. Get the kids in the kitchen with you.
4. Do not stress out; your kids will eat!
5. Jump up and down for joy when you see them dive into a yummy plate of slow cooked chicken and sweet potatoes – why? See number 6!
6. Rest assured that your child is getting more nutrients and better nutrients by eating paleo than he or she would on a standard American diet and by removing the gut irritating grains, dairy, and legumes, your child is able to better absorb the nutrients that he or she is eating!!
7. Stick with it, you can do this, celebrate your successes, relax and live a little, enjoy your kids and let the messes begin!!
As always, Enjoy!!
PDF 
Thank you for this – I’ve been “converting” my kids for about 3 weeks now – All the way (ie: there is no junk in the house) It started tough and still has it moments, so I read these articles and your book in order to strengthen my resolve and keep going! I would LOVE some videos for my boys to watch – of teen boys or athletic, strong men – talking about how happy they are, how powerful they are, and sharing some of their yummiest foods and snacks (I’m raising two boys, 10 and
Other powerful men might reach them and convince them better than Mom 
Anyhoo…. Keep the recipes and articles coming. Everyday Paleo is the new “Bible” in our house, along with Robb Wolf’s book! Pressing on in the Pac NW 
Dana
My brother introduced me to paleo eating about a week ago. Right about the same time I finished my job and became fully employed by my 2 boys. The few meals I have made my husband loves. My 2 year old loves getting in the kitchen with me. However, I am finding it very challenging with a very active and mobile 1 year old as well. The cooking is very time consuming and he is a “mommas boy” that loves to be held and loves to scream with his arms up in the air when he is not held. I am concerned if he may not get the right amounts of fats for appropriate brain development. Do you cut out dairy altogether or do your kids still drink milk? Any suggestions for a family on a budget? Suggestions for very young kids attempting paleo living? Thanks.
Hi Carianne,
I did cut out all dairy, and my littlest one Rowan has never relied on milk or any other dairy source besides the grass fed butter that we often use. You will actually be providing MORE healthy fats by eating paleo then with a Standard American Diet. We cook with coconut oil, make coconut milk smoothies for the kids, cook with grass fed butter, eat avocados, olive oil, and eat the fat from grass fed/ pasture raised animals and we eat these healthy fats with every meal. Your kids will also be getting more nutrients by consuming more nutrient dense “real” foods and without the gut irritating grains, legumes, and dairy products, you and your children will be able to better absorb the nutrients that you are getting from your food. To save time in the kitchen, use a slow cooker to make large meals and then rely on leftovers for lunch the next day, get a pressure cooker so that you can quickly prepare a meal, make big pots of soups and stews and make those stretch out over a few days by adding different veggies to your leftovers. I have a ton of suggestions in my book for getting kids on board a paleo life style and read all the posts under my Required Reading tab on my home page for more advice. Best of luck to you!!
I feel your pain on the cooking with an infant/toddler who thinks mom is the bomb (which is probably true!) and wants to be in your arms all the time. Try a sling that allows you to wear them on your back, so they are away from the knives and spattering oil, but still enjoying all the benefits of snuggling. I use a sling that is just a super long (probably 15 feet) piece of fabric, which is more cost effective than a pre-made sling.
We have a one year old little girl. how do we go about getting her to eat what paleo eats. you also say not to give them dairy, but what is a one year old supposed to drink then??? also what are we supposed to do with day care situations when we cant control what they are given.
thank you
kevin and alisha gibson.
Goat milk is a great alternative and very tasty- if you are considering giving your child milk. It is packed full of protein, vitamins, minerals and fat! There is also Almond milk, Coconut milk but provide minimal protein so you will need to make up for that.
Sorry and regarding daycare
My Son goes to day care where food is to be provided. I told them that he has an allergic reaction to Grains, Wheat, Gluten and Fructose. I explained his diet and gave them a list of what he can eat and said if its not on the list he does not get it.
If your daycare is not willing to accommodate you then you can ask for discounted rate and pack his own lunch.
Good luck!
Has anyone experienced their children going through stomach problems at first? My 4 year old daughter already has bowel problems, and is very sensitive to sugar and dairy. I am as well and recently started the Paleo diet. Once I got it figured out, trusted it and felt good I started my daughter on the diet. She is feeling better but the past few days was very lethargic and had very odd bowel movements. She spent the night with my mother and woke up last night in horrendous stomach pain from 2am to 5am. I told my mom to go ahead and give her a little oatmeal to see if that helps. I’m at a loss. I thought this was supposed to HELP her stomach. Is she just going through a bowel cleanse, detox stage? I’m worried. I really think this is a good idea for kids, but maybe something else is wrong with her stomach? I know my stomach got a little funky at first, I attributed it to all the veggies I was eating. My daughter definitely eats more meat than veggies at meal time, and probably too much of that. Should I have her eat less meat, more veggies and more fats? I guess I’m just confused. I was really hoping this would help her.
Hi Staci,
I wanted to check in and see how your little one is doing? I completely disagree with Elaine’s comment below. It is scientifically PROVEN that eating grains, especially those containing gluten damage the gut lining and inhibit proper nutrient absorption, making a paleo diet optimal for not only adults but for everyone. I’m not sure why your daughter was having tummy issues, sometimes kids get stomach aches, eating paleo or not, she possibly could have been coming down with something? As far as what she is eating, just try to keep it varied, offer whatever you are eating, make it fun, offer her sweet potatoes, make smoothies with coconut milk and fruit, make meatballs with grated veggies, etc. Please let me know how things are going!
My son definitely experienced stomach problems after starting a grain-free diet. Our doctor recommended a protocol for him that basically made him Paleo: grain-free and free of processed foods. He was already dairy- and soy- free, and now is 95% Paleo.
The first week or so on the diet he experienced flu-like symptoms: stomach cramping, lethargy, mild fever, and, like Staci described, odd bowel movements. I attributed all this to a toxic reaction to yeast dying off in my son’s gut, which is something the doc said might happen. (As a side note, my hubby went on a yeast-elimination diet which is essentially Paleo minus sugary fruit and he had a similar reaction.) It’s been smooth sailing since then.
Hi Staci,
How is your daughter doing on paleo now? We have also recently switched to paleo with my 2 year old daughter. She has been having constipation issues and I KNOW it’s not from too little fibre (as all the sources you can find say!) Anyway, after doing TONS of research (which seems silly now because in retrospect the answer is obvious) and she has too little fat in her diet!
My husband and I were so accustom to “dieting” even when we weren’t on a “diet” that we only ate and cooked low fat. This is after years of brainwashing that we should be eating high carb and low fat. When we switched to paleo, we were still defaulting to low fat everything. This made me realize how “afraid of fat” I’d become (meanwhile I just kept getting fatter and fatter!)
Anyway, I only had this ‘realization’ less then a week ago and I’m pushing the fats big time with my daughter! Her favorite snack right now is kale chips dipped in guacamole! Lol! Anyway, I really wanted to make this comments so other parents out there could have another possible answer for digestive issues.
Bloggers – I’d love it if some of you blogging about paleo kids did a post about kids and fat intake as I haven’t found very much info on that.
You are totally right! Proper bowel movements require fiber AS WELL as fat and adequate water as well. It’s true that eating high protein without enough fiber from veggies and fruit can cause constipation, but adequate fat and water levels are major contributors to healthy colon cleansing movements. Have you ever experienced the “pebble-like” terds (excuse my description)? This is commonly from being dehydrated, not enough fat, or not enough fiber. Just my two cents
Dear Staci,
You need to stop the diet for your child and take her to the doctor and ask for their medical advice. This may not be appropriate for all children, so trust your gut and do what is right for your child. There is something to say for everything in moderation and I am not so sure that kids need to be following this with out the advice of a doctor.
I am transitioning my 2 boys (7 & 12) and while I try not to make a big deal of it, my oldest is. He is telling me to “stop reading books” and the poor thing (sarcasm) just wants a bowl of cereal. I am trying to tell him about gluten- which he is sick of hearing about because I have Celiac Disease- and so this morning I challenged him to 30 days “no bread/gluten” and he said ok, but when I allow him to eat bread he’s never gonna stop. I want to give in, but I’m not. This is really tough.
Good job hanging tough Charity, I know it’s not easy. Being that you have Celiac Disease, I would suggest talking openly with your kids about what you know grain can do to ones body, not to freak them out but just to honestly inform that why you want everyone to eat this way and that you love them and want what’s best for them. At 7 & 12, they can understand that. Then, make it fun, focus more on other activities then the food that’s being served and be patient, they will come around!
Hi
We have been on the Paleo diet for 3 weeks now (love your book Sarah!)
Our kids (ages 3 and 5) are Ok eating Paleo at home but when we are with other people they see what everyone else has (the bread, chocolate biscuits etc) and constantly say ‘I want that, why can’t I have that, it’s not fair!’.
We have even left places early due to our daughter’s tantrums because she can’t have what the other kids have. HELP!! We don’t know what to do!
I’m very close to giving in and taking them off the diet because I feel guilty that they think they’re missing out!
Hi Michele, I just answered your question in my latest blog post, All or Nothing, I hope you don’t mind! : ) You were my inspiration for today and I hope my reply helps, please feel free to follow up with any other questions!
Weve been eating paleo about 6 months and finally switched the kids (ages 3 and 6) cold turkey about 3 weeks ago, I can’t believe the improvement! They’ve always been SO picky, its amazing what they eat now!
I have been on paleo 85% most of the time since October 2010 the benefits are awsome and I have 4 kids ages 4,9,12,14 and of course my Husband.. I told asked them to take the 30 day challege with paleo .. My concern is my 4 YO and 12 yo are under weight and very picky eaters I am worried they will loose weight on Paleo.. any idea on that? should I slowly go like Zone with them then Paleo? that is how I started out so it was not as hard to make transition.. any thoughts are appreciated thanks
I wouldn’t worry about zoning for your kids, that would be a freaking nightmare in my humble opinion to have to weigh and measure food for all of your kids. Let them eat when they are hungry, do not think in a “low carb” perspective with kids, so lots of sweet potatoes, coconut milk smoothies with big scoops of coconut oil, cook with grass fed butter or ghee, pour coconut milk or heavy cream over berries for dessert, offer protein with every meal and snack, make avocado dip for veggies, and you will be good to go! : )
Thank you I am going to give it a try.. If all the junk is out of my house they will have to eat someting
What if we are not coconut fans?
My husband is allergic to coconut! What can I do for him?
Thank you so much for this post! I have a 2 1/2 year old son and his dad and I split time with him, which means he has four places where he eats: 1) my house 2) his dad’s house 3) daycare four days a week 4) his grandparents’ house one day a week. Once he started going to daycare that’s when I noticed his eating habits change and now he’s a typical picky toddler, aside from his love for Larabars and Fruit Leather. Any advice on the daycare situation? Should I just focus on what I can control, which is the time he spends at my house?
Christina, i am in a similar situation as you! i have 50% custody of my daughters (4 and 6 years), and i have them every other week. Its great except there is a plethora of places they eat at, school/daycare, babysitter (which isn’t always the same, depending on the week), my house, their moms house, etc.. It does make it more difficult to control their diet, however i do focus on what is within my control! I figure its better than nothing!
Hi Sara,
I’ ve been eating Paleo for 4 Months now and i’m Flint great!
I can’t do it 100% but around 80-90%.
I have a 6 Months old son. My wife could Not breastfeed anymore, so we had to Fry something else.
We give him Baby Food once a Day plus formula milk 3-4 times.
It Works good and now we also try mashed fruits in the afternoon.
Now we have to move on. But how???
What can i feed my Son?
I read about sweet potato mash or other fruit mash…..
What did you feed your kids?
Cheers JJ
Hi JJ! I just wanted to say that it is really easy to make any food baby/young child friendly. All you need is a good blender and cooked food and you’re ready to go! I’ve had several health nut friends who did this for their kids, as it’s a much less expensive way to include whole, organic foods in your child’s diet.
As a reminder if you’re blending the food your family eats, acidic fruits may be hard on young stomachs, and if you were eating honey in a dish (since you say you’re not 100% paleo) do NOT blend that one for your child – honey can be deadly to a young child.
Hope that helps!
I made all my daughters food. I simply went to the baby food aisle & looked at what they jarred. Then I went to the fresh area of the store, picked up the items, and cooked them at home.
For any veggie you simply peel, add filtered water, boil until very tender, then puree in blender with the water you just cooked them in. I then poured into ice cube trays and froze. Popped them into a zip-loc bag once frozen. I’d make a pot of food a night. Took me about 15 mins a night to give her 100% organic preservative free food
after about a week I didn’t have to cook for a few weeks since I had a good stash built up. To reheat I simply put in the microwave for a few secs or you could defrost in the fridge over night (I always forgot to take out).
So now my daughter is 17 mths old and eats her veggies before anything else on her plate! I really think its because her first foods were real food so she knows/expects them to taste this way!
I have two boys, 8 and almost 11. I’ve been trying to eat paleo since Jan and my husband has recently gotten on board too. What the boys eat at dinner is mostly paleo and has been a pleasant surprise some nights, but overall it’s been a challenge. I just can’t seem to visualize them eating paleo all the time. It’s a challenge especially with my younger one, as he has texture issues and will only eat fruits or veg if they’re pureed. It’s just not practical for me to puree food (or even heat it out of the freezer) every time he wants a snack and for every meal. He won’t eat nuts either, so that leaves just meat. More problems arise because he is on ADD medicine (yes, I know, we tried everything before we went to that) which affects his appetite and I really have to push the food and make sure he eats.
One dish he will eat, which is a holdover from our homemade baby food, is “green pears” – a head of broccoli florets steamed until soft, and mixed in the blender with a can of 100% juice pear halves (or you can peel & chop fresh pears).
One more question – where does one get grass-fed butter?
You can find grass fed butter here: http://www.grasslandbeef.com/Categories.bok?category=Grass-Fed+Dairy Also, if you have a Trader Joe’s in your area, they actually carry Kerrygold butter in stores. Most health food stores will have grass fed butter as well. : )
My family and I recently moved across country and with the move didn’t come our old pantry full of sugar and snacks. My husband and I started to try Paleo, but after the move we jumped full force into this lifestyle of eating and now I just wonder why we didn’t do this earlier. We have 2 teenage daughters who have been “picky eaters” previously, but now I see that is because there was a choice of junk before. Now, my 14 yr old is eating more veggies that every before and we are all feeling much better about what we eat. Both my girls are HUGE help in the kitchen. My younger daughter is definitely now a meal eater, but a constant grazer and she picks up more healthy nutrient rich snacks to eat now than every before.
My only concern is portion size. Is there really such thing as too much of a good thing? I have a deep love of bacon and avocados – not an every meal thing, but is there a limit to what I should have?
I appreciate your time and all this wonderful information! My family has truly been blessed
I love this post! My son is anaphylactic with nuts and was wondering if you have any snack suggestions? Boys are very active and need the great carbs like sweet potatoes, but he doesn’t always want to eat them. He loves fruits, but when it’s not around is there something other than jerky or a Larabar to offer when we are in a rush? I’m thinking more on the fat/carbs. Perhaps a recipe for Paleo granola bars without the nuts?
Thanks!
What food will stay good in a locker until lunch in school?
I will pack just about anything! I use Planet Box lunch boxes http://www.planetbox.com and also an insulated thermos and for the lunch box I just include an ice pack!
Hi there,
I have been reading about the paleo diet on and off for awhile and have finally decided to take the plunge. Prior to this, we were whole-foods vegetarians. I have lots of organic grains and legumes in my pantry. Plus a few not-so-nutritious things (“organic” baking supplies, pasta, nachos, ice cream, etc.). So… my question is this. Should I go cold-turkey (no pun intended) and get rid of everything non-paleo (which is essentially everything in my pantry), or slowly transition by not replacing things as I use them up. I still have a bit of organic dairy in my fridge, which is not cheap. I hate to get rid of perfectly “good” food, even though I believe this diet will be much healthier for us. Plus, none of my children have ever eaten meat, so I believe it’s important to start slowly with that. Any thoughts? I have ordered your book but it won’t be here until next week.
Thanks!
Alissa
Hi Alissa,
Our family of 6 became paleo starting last Sunday morning — myself and husband, kids ages 9, 11, and 14, and 21 months. I had been an ovo-lacto vegetarian for 3.5 years before Sunday, and cooked mostly vegetarian meals for my family, but also some meat. We relied heavily on grains and had recently made a switch to raw organic cheese and full fat organic yogurt.
My oldest daughter (14) has had eczema her entire life that is brought on by dairy products. We completely eliminated dairy several times, but one can only eat so much soy cheese, and I was hoping the switch to raw dairy would make a change for her. Not so. Also, my 9 year old daughter has a lot of behavioral issues, and I could tell that dairy and grain products were making them worse.
Long story short, we went completely cold turkey on Sunday. I tried to use up most of the flour and butter and other things we had on hand before then — we had loads of buttered popcorn and brownies for dinner Saturday night! I still have an unopened bag of whole wheat flour in my pantry, and an unopened container of organic yogurt in my fridge. I can’t bear to throw them out, so I am on the lookout for someone to give them to.
I have been cooking from Sarah’s book for the last 4 days, and everything has been wonderful and SO delicious. The older kids have been a little harder to convince, but they are coming around. The baby, who was for all purposes vegetarian, has surprised me with her appetite for meat and has had no problems. And my husband and I feel great and I have lost 5 pounds since Sunday!
I hope this works for you and your family!
Best,
Amy
Wow! I loved this article and I love the comments here. I have gained lots of weight and have several health issues. After a coconut oil cleanse and then onto a paleo diet (for the last few days), I feel fantastic and I have started to lose weight. I want to get my husband and kids on board and I feel very empowered and motivated to do this now. I will probably start this in a few weeks, after I get myself stabilized (we do paleo breakfasts and dinners right now). Thank you so much!
I’m totally convinced paleo is the way to go. My trouble is that I have a 7 and 4 year old. Both awesome eaters! Love their veggies (and fruit). I have found leaving dairy out of my son’s diet, makes his (and our) world a much better place! So recently my daughter was due for routine blood work, and I asked her Pediatrician to test for milk allergies (just out of curiosity). She added all food allergies and it turned out that she is allergic to cow’s milk!
Eating at home, we typically never have a problem. But what about school (trading with friends) and parties? And forget about going out to eat with them.. Dessert is all so appealing to children and I feel so mean saying no. Any advice for those who really want this and know it’s best for the kids, but just hate to make them the ‘odd’ child who doesn’t eat ‘normal’ snacks? Besides get over it, it’s simply peer pressure. I just don’t want them to grow up and say they missed out on ‘just being a kid..’
I’m glad I found this site. We are a Pakistani/American family and so researching Paleo is almost scary! (we love our rice). We’ve never followed the Standard American Diet, I’ve always been conscious of my daughter’s diet (now 4.5), but I’m even more so now. Because we also follow Kosher, I know she’ll be fine seeing other children eat what she doesn’t….she gets that we eat differently. On the other hand, I am not looking forward to taking away the roti, naan and rice from her OR my husband! (well, I can’t force him to do anything). I’m looking forward to trying the 30 day Paleo, I know there’s nothing UNHEALTHY about it…..personally we’ve pretty much been eating like that anyway, aside from needing to get rid of the grains and some of the veggies. The processed food won’t be hard (okay, we love a granola bar). We aren’t stuck on dairy, but my daughter loves yogurt. Looking forward to staying up on this blog and trying new things. All the best to everyone.
So glad you found my site also! Welcome and please let me know if you have any questions along the way! : )
I am in a similar boat to a lot of folks that have already commented. I love this post and have just recently started trying to convince my wife that we should take the whole family Paleo. We don’t really want to throw away all of the food that we have, but we have plenty of people to give it to. Is that encouraging unhealthy habits? One of our main questions is similar to other questions is the comments section of this post. How do we keep ours, and our kids new diet under control when we go out or when the kids stay somewhere else. Is the secret just packing their food for them, or should we just have a “cheat day?” In one of the above posts it says that you (Sarah) have answered this question in a blog titled “All or Nothing” but I can’t seem to find it. I would love to read that entry to find out what you have to say. Also, any other advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hi there! Here’s a link to the All or Nothing Post. http://everydaypaleo.com/2011/06/15/all-or-nothing/ I think this article will help you tremendously!
Hi there, thanks for this post. I love your book too Sarah, you are an inspiration to everyone!
Can I please ask a quick question about the timing of meals for children. I have 2 boys (aged 2 and 4) who are about 80% primal.
After 6 months, we have finally succeeded in changing their eating habits – (breakfast was the worst for me!). My problem is, that I am finding there are times where they seem to be hungry an hour or two after a meal, and I have no sooner cleaned up the dishes and chaos from cooking them a paleo meal, when they start squealing for more food. I’m not sure if this is a habit, as I have always allowed them to have snacks, or if they really are hungry (they do seem to have been through a growth spurt recently). Should I be giving them paleo snacks freely, as it does affect how much they will eat at the next meal, or aim to give them only 3 meals a day?
I have loved reading the comments above, and wanted to share something that has helped our transition for our kiddies (particularly my 4 year old). Breakfast has always been a battle, as he wants ‘cereal’. Being a busy mum (like everyone) time is always an issue especially in the mornings, and I began to dread the 30 minute battleground my dining room became every morning…. so i decided to simplify! I picked 4 breakfasts that are paleo and that I knew my boys would eat. I then sat down on the computer and together we made up a chart, with Monday – Sunday. Under each day we wrote down what we were going to have ie. smoothy on Mondays or eggs on Tuesdays, then my son picked a picture from clipart and we pasted that underneath (he cannot read yet). I laminated it and stuck on the inside of our pantry door. I am amazed at the results. I only did this a few days ago, but when I mention breakfast now, he becomes very excited and races to the pantry to ‘look up’ on the special chart, and he proudly announces what we are having for the day (Of course I know in advance what we are having and have made sure we actually have eggs in the house etc lol). So far, no arguments or battles. My next obstacle to overcome is the snacking as mentioned above, and school lunches which I have to face next year!! Agggggggggghhhhhh Thanks everyone for your comments/advice
Hi Amanda! Remember that a toddlers stomach is only the size of his or her little fist so eating more often is completely normal! Kids, like adults, should eat when they are hungry. At 2 and 4 and especially if you are feeding them paleo, snacking will not be habitual – my guess is that your little ones are super active and need the fuel! Make sure they are getting plenty of fat and some protein with every meal and that will help sustain them and healthy fat for kids is SO important for developing bodies. I love your idea for your breakfast routine and I’m sure other parents will see this comment and it will help them as well. Thanks so much for your comment!
We went Paleo a few weeks ago and i have four children (7, 5, 3 and 3 months). I have always been whole foods focused, so my kids are used to hearing “no” at the grocery store, but we used to eat “healthy” grains like brown rice and whole wheat pasta (which now I realize were not healthy). The one holdout for us so far is cheese. The kids love cheese and my 3yo eats very little so when he wants a cheese stick, I figure it’s better than nothing (I know, I know, like you said, kids regulate their own intake). Should I cut out cheese? Because honestly, they will eat a ton of it when it’s available. My 5 yo eats like a trucker and can eat 4 cheese sticks for a snack so the whole moderation thing does not apply. I just feel Iike so many of their favorites have been cut out and I don’t want to give them the impression that this is about deprivation or suffering. On that topic, how do you remove foods that they’ve always eaten and deal with the whining? My 7yo is a fantastic whiner and asks “why” over and over again….my response “because I want to feed you nutritious food that helps you grow strong” is apparently not adequate.
I agree with the Paleo diet and actually find it really easy to follow. At first it was hard, but once I bought Sarah’s book, everything seemed to fall into place for us. We are currently not 100% Paleo, but pretty darn close. I have a really hard time wrapping my head around how to wean my 1 year old off of breast-milk/formula and what to give her as a replacement. In my opinion, our ancestors probably breast fed for the first few years of life. That is unrealistic for me, but I don’t see how a toddler (1 year old) will get the daily requirements of calcium without milk. Yes, I understand they can eat broccoli, almonds, spinach, etc., but I don’t believe a 1 year old will eat enough in one day to satisfy this. Thoughts? Recommendations? Help!!
Hi! I’m a mum of a two 100% Paleo little girls (2 & 4 years old). I have to say that commitment and sacrifice is need it, but our kids health have no price. They absolutely love their Paleo food, and I think one of the secrets is to use coconut oil, it gives a sweet taste to every meal, and kids love it! Also, to substitute milk (a big concerns for almost every mum) I use almond, hazelnut and coconut milk. Potatoes? Give then sweet potatoes instead! Kids don’t know that advertising has taught us that cereal is for breakfast, so, give them chicken, avocado and some fruit, if they are hungry and there are nor other choices, they will eat it! Good luck and go for it!
It is so comforting reading that other adults and children have experienced stomach issues after starting Paleo. I have been reading everything I could find and nowhere have I read about any problems. Before Paleo I was very regular and had the perfect “S shaped” BM. I just finished my 4th week on Paleo and I have had stomach cramps and loose stool (some even float!) for the past 6 days. I’ve been studying nutrition for years and Paleo just made so much sense to me. I don’t want to give up but I don’t want to feel sick everyday either. Help!