Want your kids to take their Omega 3? Give it to them in a form that’s easy to swallow.
You’re probably well aware of Omega 3’s role in protecting the heart, but never forget its contributions to brain health. It’s especially crucial for children to get enough Omega 3 in their diets, because it helps their little minds develop properly.
But let’s face it: kids aren’t big fans of most fish dishes, and you probably won’t get them within a mile of flax seed or (heaven forbid) oils squeezed from fish, krill, or seals. So what are your options here? Holding them down and making them swallow pills won’t be any fun for either of you.
The Value of Stealth
You can try explaining that baked fish is good for them until you’re blue in the face, and even if you get through their shields, most kids won’t care. Larval humans tend to be picky eaters, and they’ll become pickier if they know you absolutely want them to eat something.
So you have to use guile instead.
Now, unlike your pet Labradork, your little bundle of joy probably won’t fall for the old trick where you ball up a pill in a piece of bread, even if you add a dab of peanut butter for flavor. But luckily, most kids do have a few chinks in their I-Hate-Fish armor that you can take advantage of.
Reasonable Fish Formats
We human beings seemed to be programmed to love stuff that’s rolled in batter and deep-fried, and so it is with kids and fish. If you make sure the fish is heavily disguised by being cut into slim rectangles and thickly breaded, then most kids will eat it eagerly.
Any fish sticks are better than none, but as you well know, some species of fish sticks are richer in O-3 fatty acids than others. At the very least, choose cold-water fish like cod. Also, look for a brand that the manufacturer has enriched with natural Omega 3. Bird’s Eye makes a good one.
If fish sticks don’t work out, very few kids will say no to tuna salad sandwiches. Tuna isn’t the best source of Omega 3, but it’s pretty high on the list.
Gummies
If your kid absolutely refuses to eat any fish, then cleverly disguised fish oil is the only way to go. As public awareness of Omega 3’s value to child health has grown, a few pharmaceutical companies have capitalized on the concept with specialty kid’s vitamins.
Of course, you can’t tell your kids that those cool new candies are vitamins, because kids are constitutionally opposed to such things. But fortunately, you can find chewable gummy sources nowadays, online at the very least, and kids love gummies. What a great way to make them take their Omega 3!