Easy Ways to Give Flax Seed to Your Kids

It's no surprise that flax seed is very healthy for you.  Flax seed provides one of the best sources of omega 3's and ground flax seed is a wonderful source of fiber.  There are plenty of sources that will outline the benefits of flax seed so I won't do that here.  We all know it's healthy & since it's great for us then it's also great for our kids.  The great thing about it is it's not that hard to incorporate in their diets!

I incorporate ground flax seed in my kids' diets on a daily basis.  It's recommended that kids take approx. 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp / day... just in case you were wondering, adults should take 1 tbsp / day.  I add ground flax seed to PB & J, bagels with cream cheese, apple sauce, yogurt, and even cereal.  For those with picky kids (I know there are plenty of you out there), it's easiest to disguise in sandwiches.  Just don't let them watch you make that sandwich :)

I tried flaxseed oil & found it much harder to disguise - the taste is much more obvious.  It also doesn't provide some of the benefits of ground flax seed.

Grind flax seeds with a coffee grinder (I use my magic bullet) & keep in the fridge for a few days.  Use up the refrigerated ground flax seed in a few days (I usually go a week) - it supposedly gets rancid. 

You can read more about the benefits of flax seed at:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/t041700.asp