Today we live in a world where getting children to eat healthy foods is more difficult than ever. As parents and caregivers, we are bombarded with messages from the media about what is good for our kids, what we should and should not feed them, and it can be overwhelming at best. Not only is it difficult for us, but our children are also negatively affected by the same media, wooing them to desire the most colorful, bright, and excitingly packaged snacks, cereals, and treats that they can get their parents to buy for them. Combine the media impact with a tight budget, a busy lifestyle, and fussy kids, and the concept of providing a whole-foods based diet free of additives, preservatives, and pesticides for our families can seem like a frustrating and difficult task to manage, right? Maybe not! There are a few simple things we can do in order to help our children become more compliant, raise our energy levels, and make the change to a healthier, happier family, without all the added stress!
1. Stick to the Outside at Supermarkets – When making your trip to the super market, do your best to stay as close to the outside of the aisles while shopping as possible. This is where you will find all of your whole (closest to nature, unprocessed, and unpackaged) foods. When we get lost in the aisles, it is easy to become befuddled and confused by all of that unnecessary packaging. Packaged foods like crackers, cereal, and fruit snacks are often littered with harmful preservatives as well. When looking for snacks, choose fresh and colorful fruits and vegetables to pack in the beneficial vitamins and minerals. You will be surprised by your child’s love for them when they are chopped up and arranged nicely. If you find crackers to be helpful in adding to fruits and veggies, stick to organic and whole grain or brown rice where you can. Using hummus or full fat Greek yogurt for dipping is a great way to get some protein in there and make snacking fun! The key is keeping things simple.
2. Create Balance in your Budget – When buying whole foods, organic produce and non-medicated meats can be expensive. This can be balanced by stocking up on bulk whole grains like steel cut oats or quinoa for breakfasts, legumes like lentils and chickpeas for soups, salads, and pastas, and healthy fat nuts and seeds. When buying in bulk, you will find saving money is easy. Remember – keep it simple! Having lots of yummy spices to play with in your pantry is also very helpful in tweaking your whole food recipes to your family’s liking! Keep in mind, that by including lots of nutritious foods in your diet, sick days, which are also financially valuable, can be saved and used for something more fun!
3. Sweets are not “Treats” – Food is intimately linked to emotion and our minds are often trained as young children to believe that a sweet treat feels good because we are rewarded for good behavior with a cookie or some candy. Because this association starts so early, it sticks with us throughout our lives creating a sort of euphoria when we do allow ourselves refined and not-so-good-for-us foods, and call them treats. If we can break this cycle as parents and caregivers, then children will not make the same association and crave these “treats” so easily. Also, when shopping for groceries with your children, do not fall victim to the cries for junky snacks. Do not feel guilty for denying them sugary imitation foods and remember that providing them with proper nutrition is a sign of love and respect. Bending when children misbehave only enables the behavior. Get excited about the healthy foods, and involve them in the choice making (leaving out the less healthy selections from the list).
4. Batch Cooking Saves Time – We all have busy lives. Cooking nutrient dense whole food meals can seem daunting when they take so much more time to cook than frozen dinners and take out meals. The key is finding ways to save time. A great way to do this is to create large batches of meals on Sunday afternoons that you can freeze in portions to thaw throughout the week. Great options to try would be homemade soups with fresh veggies, lentils, and legumes; making a large batch of brown rice to have with meat or vegetable dishes (since this type of rice takes so much longer than the less nutritious white version), casseroles, and more! This enables you to provide your family with fresh home-cooked meals every day without the fuss of preparation, or the expense and lack of nutrition of take out!
5. Educate your Kids – Spend time with your children watching their favorite programs and ask them questions about things they see on television. Talk to them about the commercials and what they are trying to tell your child. You might be surprised at what he or she might come up with! Every day children’s minds are littered with thousands of ads trying to get them to want this product or that food, but if we can educate them to be more critical about what they see, they will be less likely to fall for the ploys and make decisions that they know are right in their own hearts. This helps them build their confidence and enables them to become aware of why it is important to eat their healthy foods and avoid the junkier alternatives.
These are only just a FEW of the things we can do as parents and caregivers to make the change from confusion and frustration about food, to excitement and confidence in ourselves and our families as we continue on our own paths to wellness!
Rebecca Horner, RHN
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