I stood there and thought about it a little while. First off, I would never in my right mind consider cookies (organic and gluten-free or not) to be a "health food." I mean, let's call a spade a spade. A cookie is not health food, any way you cut it (pun intended).
But the bigger thought that I pondered was: Why is it that we just assume our children are incapable of being healthy eaters? Why do we give them a free pass to eat junk, and then sigh and say, "Well I tried, but they just won't eat anything that is good for them."
And please, before you start with the eye rolling, let me stress that we are NOT perfect, not even close actually. My kids get "junk" from time to time, they often turn their noses up at my nutritious meals, and very rarely, we will even hit up a drive-thru for something to eat if it's our only option. But that being said, we try our best to follow a 90/10 rule with healthy foods because we believe firmly that our food is our bodies' fuel and medicine.
Below are some simple things that we do as a family to help raise our children in a healthful manner:
1) Set a good example! When kids see their parents making good, healthy choices, they are more apt to want to make them too. Be enthusiastic about your veggies, and you just may be surprised that your kid may start to like them as well. Opt for water over soda, and see if your choices don't ultimately influence your children to make better ones. Be a good role model, and watch how it affects your children's behaviors in a healthy way.
2) Talk about your food- You wouldn't believe how often the kids and I talk about what we are eating. We have great conversations about nutrition, different types of foods, and their origins. Explain to your child that food is fuel, and if they want to perform well, they need to eat well. Teach them which foods provide sustained energy and which are going to make them feel sick and tired later. One thing that I know for sure is that our children are a lot smarter than we often acknowledge. My five year-old son tells everyone that will listen that he wants to be Iron Man when he grows up (which is cool with me!). I tell him that if he wants to be Iron Man, he needs to eat his protein and veggies! Works every time! Opening up the dialogue about nutrition is a great way to motivate your children to make better choices.
3) Have healthy snacks readily available- On our kitchen table, there is always a red bowl which is filled with organic fruits and veggies that the kids can just grab and eat straight from the table. I also keep nuts, seeds, yogurt, granola bars, and cheese sticks on hand for quick snacks. Having these nutritious snacks handy is a great way to promote healthy eating.
The sad truth, however, is that most kids are simply not going to choose an apple over a donut. I know this is harsh, but it is YOUR responsibility as the adult to not bring the garbage into your house if you don't want your kids eating it. Why not try for just one week to not bring in any processed, junk food? Avoid any snacks with hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, excess sugar, GMO's, or other chemical ingredients. Instead, keep out in plain view a bowl of fruit and have only healthy snack options available. See what happens. Either one of two things will occur: your kids will not snack at all, or they will eat healthier snacks.
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| our bounty from the farmer's market- we refill our red bowl every week and the kids help themselves! |
4) Get the kids in the kitchen- As I've said in other posts, I like to do most of my own baking and do not buy many pre-baked goods or mixes. I try to make one large batch a week of a gluten-free treat for the kids like grain-free banana bread or chocolate chip macaroons. My kids LOVE to help in the preparing and baking (they even have their own little aprons that Grandma Mara bought them). And while I absolutely know that having your kids in the kitchen while you are cooking is a messy, patience-testing ordeal, I promise you that they will enjoy it. Plus, you are creating wonderful memories with them. By allowing your children to help in the kitchen, you are not only teaching them about nutrition, but also helping to foster an appreciation for how real food is made.
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| My two crazy chefs in their aprons from Grandma Mara |
5) Be ACTIVE! Do you ever notice how children play? They are constantly sprinting, tumbling, climbing, jumping. It is their natural state to be active. Their growing bodies need the exertion, and their growing brains need the oxygen. Set a rule in your house that you will get out and play for at least an hour every day. Ride bikes. Throw a baseball. Dance. Rake leaves (and then JUMP into the piles!). Kick a soccer ball. Take a nice, long stroll on the beach and collect seashells. Make physical activity a priority for your family, and everyone will reap the rewards!
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| Is there anything better than being a kid? |
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| He caught it! |
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| Soccer started this weekend! Check out that form! |
