Jamie's Food Revolution Day

It’s Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Day today, Friday 16th May, and we’ve been thinking about our own ways to get kids to eat healthily. Our ethos is eating natural food and we know it can sometimes be challenging to get children to want to do this. Turkey twizzlers (totally exposing on Jamie’s School Meals), rubbery cheeses, chips, sugary sweets, biscuits, cereal bars and chocolates. It’s the sweeteners, preservatives, sugars, salts and E numbers which we should be worried about, so cooking as much fresh food as you can will help improve your little one’s diet.

Here are 5 quick ways to keep your kids happy with their childhood comfort favourites, and you happy in the knowledge that they are getting the right fuel for their little bodies. If yours have an addiction to any of the below, try our alternative suggestions!

1. Chips. Cut vegetables into chips, roast and make some healthy dips to go with. Try butternut squash chips with our pink beetroot houmous for the girls and our green broad bean dip for the boys!

2. Ketchup. If yours insist on putting this stuff on everything from their porridge to their tomato pasta, it is very worth making your own to cut down on all those preservatives, sugars and additives which go into the regular supermarket version. It seems like an effort, but make big batches and seal in air tight glass bottles to stock your cupboards. It tastes absolutely delicious too, think Italy!

3. Spaghetti. We can’t live without our spiraliser in the detox kitchen. They are easy, safe and fun to use so you can get your kids involved in some food fun. We suggest using a softer vegetable like a courgette if you’re getting your little one to do this.

4. Burgers and Nuggets. If you want to cut back on the amount of processed red meat in your kids diet, use minced chicken to make little burger and nugget like patties. High in protein, low in fat, clean and preservative free.

5. Ice Cream. Childhood (and life) wouldn’t be the same without it but we can enjoy it in a much healthier way. Frozen bananas make the best dairy, gluten, wheat & refined sugar free alternative. Blend them with a little almond milk and fresh vanilla bean to get a ‘whippy’ consistency and flavour. You can eat this just as it is, or play with some flavours. Add strawberries, cacao powder, nuts or cinnamon. Sprinkle on some homemade granola, seeds, chopped nuts or desiccated coconut for a real sundae experience! If you need a cone, there are several brands which sell gluten, wheat and dairy free cones, head to your local health food store.