As moms we want our kids to eat healthy. Building a growing body with nutrients from a rainbow of foods goes a long way to assure a healthy future for our children. But it’s not always easy to get your kids to eat healthy.
Kids will be kids and there are times that we want to do what’s simple and feed them junk food. My advice is to stand your ground as a parent and win this battle because there are too many unhealthy aspects to our current food system that did not exist thirty years ago. Kids today face an overwhelmed health system. To teach them about healthy food will have enormous impact for their future and our culture.
Here are some ideas to help teach your kids healthy eating habits for life.
Introducing First Foods
When you first introduce foods to your baby, try beets, carrots, squash and other foods that provide a variety of nutrients. Stick with plant-based food and stay away from artificial ingredients. Choosing organic can insure that you are not getting genetically engineered food {i.e. GMOs} or food treated with artificial pesticides. Check ewg.org for foods tested to have the least amount of pesticide residue.
Our gracious heavenly Father provided all we need from the fruits of the earth.
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” Genesis 1:29
Be careful about feeding cereals {starchy foods} that quickly turn to sugar. Science now shows that too much sugar, even foods like breads and pastas, create a chemical dependency for sugar in the brain.
Experiencing Food
As soon as your child can feed themselves, let them experience the food. They may display an orange clown face or a green masterpiece on the highchair tray, but that’s all part of their learning experience with food. Recent science shows that kids who “play with their food” are learning to enjoy the food and will continue to eat those foods as they grow up.
Gardening
If your kids are older, you can win them over by involving them in growing a family garden. What better way to enlist their inquisitive minds than to plant seeds, watch what grows, harvest the fruits of your labor and then eat them at dinner?
Shopping
Let your kids point out the foods you have on your grocery list. Make a game out of it. “We’re looking for a pointy orange vegetable with a fluffy green tail.”
Cooking
Whether you grow a garden or not, you can also let your kids participate in the process of cooking. When they’re small, assign them simple tasks like fetching the beets from the fridge. Let them stir a mixture or spread the vegetables for roasting on a tray.
I’m sure we can all agree that mothering is the most important job on the face of the earth. Be brave and courageous as you guide your children on the path to healthy eating. Any of these simple ideas can help your kids be healthy eaters. And I’m sure you can come up with some of your own. Don’t be afraid to be transparent about your own struggles with food, but always be a healthy eater for them to model.
What have been your greatest challenges to teaching your kids about healthy foods?
Chris Pedersen
Chris Pedersen is author, entrepreneur and life-long health enthusiast. Following a successful career in engineering and marketing in Silicon Valley, she turned her attention to writing. Her non-fiction stories appear in several anthologies, but her passion is writing for children.
The discovery of cancer from a genetic defect brought renewed focus to her life. At Healthy Journey Cafe Chris writes to educate others about optimum wellness, making mindful and right decisions about diet, sleep, exercise and attitude. Her children’s books {Ethan Blecher Braves a Bully and The Prisoner of Carrot Castle} are fun, but educational – teaching kids about healthy lifestyle choices.
Giveaway
Chris is graciously giving away a copy of The Prisoner of Carrot Castle iPad app {$3.99 value} to 5 readers. Comment below for your chance to win! Comments will close at 10pm CST on Thursday, May 21. Winners will be chosen at random and announced on Friday, May 22.
What has been your greatest success or biggest challenge in teaching your kids to eat healthy?
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My biggest challenge has been just getting my kids to try new things. Many times when they actually take a bite, they like it! But the first step seems to be the hardest.
We buy 10 times more healthy snacks than we do “unhealthy” snacks. My children actually prefer fruits and nuts over junk : )
You’ve obviously done a great job, Jenn. It starts early and most kids don’t naturally choose healthy.