Omega3 and kids… how to sneak it into the diet? #horizonback2school

The first thing that comes to mind when friends ask “Do you add Omega3 and DHA to your kids diet?” is fish. So if fish is all about Omega3 and DHA, then I defiantly do not add enough to my kids diet. Neither one of my 3 munchkins likes to eat fish. I love fish and so does hubby, but the kids run as soon as they hear the word Fish!

I did a little research to see what the fuss is all about the Omega3 DHA and why I should find ways to include it into my kids diet more often; I learned a few interesting facts and thought I would share them with you, because I didn’t know… maybe you don’t know either.

Omega-3’s, also known as “good fats”, are a group of essential fatty acids. There are 3 types of omega-3’s: ALA, EPA and DHA. DHA is considered to be one of the most important of the Omega-3’s. It is a major structural fat in the brain and eyes, accounting for up to 97% of the omega-3 fats in the brain and up to 93% of the omega-3 fats in the retina.Scientists agree that DHA consumed in the diet can become available to support brain, eye and heart health

Isn’t that interesting? I had no idea that Omega3 is a major structural fat in the brain and eyes. This is getting more interesting by the minute and so I also discovered that all Omega-3’s are important, research tells us that DHA may offer the greatest number of distinct health benefits. It has been widely studied for its impact on brain and visual functioning and its role in supporting heart health.

Now, I’m all about my little ones, but Omega3 doesn’t just help our Babies, nope it actually is an important supplement all the way through Senior hood. There is still a lot of research to be done but it sure has a positive effect on everyone.

Do you know how much DHA is recommended in your daily diet? This is what I found:

• 160 mg of DHA a day is recommended by leading health authorities for the general population. However, the average American consumes only 60-80 mg per day.
• Children often have even lower intake – children ages 1-6 years old were shown to have an average DHA intake of 20 mg/day

After discovering all these important facts, I set off to find some kid friendly recipes and to my surprise a lot of products now include Omega3; My kids love smoothies, so I went to Publix and checked out the Milk isle and sure enough I found a few different companies that add Omega3 to their Milk Products; how easy is that? No fish sticks in our Smoothies; I grabbed half a gallon of the Horizon Omega3 Milk and a few other ingredients and went home to make a smoothie for the kids.

This is what you need for your Omega3 rich smoothie:

We used :
1 cup of DHA Omega3 Milk
2 cups of Frozen fruit
1 cup Orange Juice

Put everything into your blender and blend for a few minutes into a smoothie; if too thick add some more Milk till you get the desired consistency. Enjoy!

My kids lined up once they heard the blender go and no one made a weird face; there was no fishy smell, no fishy taste…just Yummy goodness and the kids loved it. Mom loved it because I knew this is a healthy snack that will also add some Omega3 to their diet. This was simple enough so we decided to make German Pancakes for breakfast and again, used the Omega3 Milk.

Check them out, they were soo yummy and easy to make.. best part we had Omega3 DHA added and the kids had no clue. They gobbled it down like there is no tomorrow… I love when I can sneak something healthy into their diet.

This is what you need to make the “German Pancakes in the oven”
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 cup
all-purpose flour
1 cup Omega3 DHA fortified Milk
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon salt
I also added Cinnamon and Vanilla Extract, I eyeball this on your taste…

This is how to make the Pancakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Melt butter in a medium baking dish
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, milk, eggs, sugar and salt. Pour
   the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
3. Bake on center rack in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes,
   until golden brown.

Now wasn’t that easy? I bet you can find ways to add Omega3 DHA to your kids diet without much effort at all. I would love to  hear how you add Omega3 to your kids/ families diet and how they like it, or do they even know? Leave your comments below for a chance to win a $500 shopping spree.

Share how you sneak Omega-3’s into your family’s diet for a chance to win a $500 Grocery Shopping Spree!

DHA belongs to a category of healthy fatty acids known as Omega-3’s. DHA is a major structural fat in the body, and has been shown to support brain, heart and eye health. Not only is DHA found in foods like salmon and eggs, but it can also be found in Horizon® Organic Milk enhanced with DHA Omega-3. Learn more about Horizon’s commitment to healthy families at http://www.horizondairy.com/everyday-nutrition/dha-omega-3/

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon. The opinions expressed by me do not necessarily reflect the view of the Horizon Organic brand.