My mom was and still is the quintessential sneaky chef in our family. She was constantly altering recipes to make them healthier by substituting ingredients or adding brewer’s yeast without us ever knowing. She continues to sneak omega-3s, veggies, and other healthier options into her grandkids’ meals, which I am so grateful for.

As for making sure our kid’s take in enough daily omega-3s, that can be a challenge. Most adults and kids aren’t too crazy at the thought of taking fish or cod liver oil right off the spoon, even when they’re as tasty as the ones we have at Carlson. So, sneaking in omega-3s to various nutritious meals or snacks just may be the way to go.

Omega-3 Benefits for Kids

Omega-3 fatty acids are great for the entire family, and in children they have been seen in research to promote brain development; impact behavior and learning abilities; and support comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, and reading skills. Like fish oil, cod liver oil provides the important omega-3 fatty acids, but with the added benefit of vitamins A and D3, which aid in immune support.

Unfortunately, many American children’s diets lack the foods that contain omega-3s; therefore, sneaking in a high-quality fish oil to your child’s meal or snack is a great way to ensure they’re getting enough of their daily requirements of omega-3s, and the necessary DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) for brain development.

Increasing Kids' Omega-3 Intake

There are many ways for our children to get their omega-3s daily. Simply drizzling it into or over some of their favorite meals or snacks are great options. Pouring some of the lemon-flavored cod or fish oil over already popped popcorn is a delicious choice. You can also add some seasoning or sea salt to the lemon-flavored popcorn, which will make a tasty treat for kids.

Other ideas are to drizzle it over a peanut butter and jelly sandwich – they won’t even know it’s there. Or drizzle it over a pizza, or stir it into yogurt. It can also be added into foods like hummus, guacamole, or in salad dressings. Or add the orange-flavored fish oil into orange juice or smoothies. For a list of recipes, visit carlsonlabs.com/omega3-recipes.

Even we as parents have issues with getting enough of the daily omega-3s we need through diet, and our children are no different. Whether we are trying to feed our kids healthy meals and snacks over the summer or throughout the school year, there are simple ways to make them even healthier by “sneaking” in their daily dose of omega-3s.

This can fill in those dietary gaps and ensure that they are getting the omega-3s they need to help maintain a robust immune system and a healthy brain.Many of these supplements are available in kid-friendly flavored liquids that taste amazing on their own, as well as when added into snacks or meals.