Healthy Food and Kids
Whoa, I’ve been away for a while.
Turns out that I had a total computer meltdown and my life has been sucked into the vortex of quickly trying to get it replaced with a good machine that can keep up with me for not a million dollars, and then getting all the software installed and getting it configured to work the way I need it to for all the videos and other stuff I do from day to day.
I’m not a tech-head and it’s been no easy feat. Three weeks of this, and counting. *groan*
Truthfully, it’s been stressing me out pretty good.
But I’m almost there. See? I’m doing a blog! LOL
But not really. Actually, my friend Romayne noticed my absence and offered to fill in with a guest post and chase away the sound of crickets that’s been happening here while I’ve been dealing with all this. Phew! Yes please! Thanks Romayne!
And what a post it IS too… on one of the subjects nearest and dearest to my heart.
She’s kindly written an excellent article for us on how to get our next generations accepting and loving healthy food, instead of always defaulting to all that crap that is on the shelves and available at schools these days.
Get our youngsters embracing a healthy lifestyle early in life and they’ve got a far better chance of staying healthy throughout their lives.
If you’ve got kids in your life you’d love to see eating healthier, then give this a read cuz it’s got some GREAT tips!!
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How To Teach Kids To Love Healthy Foods
With the terrifying prevalence of obesity in the developed world, as well as the proliferation of fad diets and processed meals composed of synthetic substances, it is important to instill in kids an appreciation for healthy food at a young age.
However, kids tend to be drawn to the bright colours and saccharine flavours of candy laden with refined sugar, as well as fast food meals made enticing by insidious advertising. Here are some pointers on how to teach kids to love healthy foods.
Get them involved in the preparation of meals
People tend to gravitate towards microwaveable meals and fast food options when they have no idea how food is prepared and have zero appreciation for the importance of fresh ingredients. Get your kids involved in the preparation of meals so they can see which ingredients are used to create the food on their plates.
When your kids realize the difference between healthy meals made of fresh vegetables and organic meat and the heavily processed foods filled with chemicals that appear on many supermarket shelves, they will gain a greater appreciation for healthy foods.
Don’t buy unhealthy foods
Do not make it a habit to purchase unhealthy processed food and beverages such as soda and TV dinners. If your kids make consuming such food and drinks a habit, they will start to get accustomed to the extremely sweet and salty flavours that are a result of artificial flavouring and high amounts of refined sugar and sodium.
Instead, fill your kitchen with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and other high quality produce so your kids will develop a taste for unprocessed, healthy foods.
Make mealtime fun
Rather than turning the dinner table into a battleground by forcing your kids to eat vegetables they hate, turn mealtime into a fun affair. Allow the kids to plan their own healthy menus, let them take turns helping out in the kitchen and teach them about the cultural significance of the food on the table.
Ensure they eat mindfully rather than mindlessly in front of the TV. If your kids enjoy mealtimes, they are more likely to start to cultivate an enthusiasm for the food that is served.
Encourage them to experiment with food
Encouraging the kids to experiment with food doesn’t necessarily mean encouraging them to play with their food at dinnertime. Help your kids to cultivate a greater awareness of the food they eat by allowing them to experiment with flavours and textures. For instance, rather than preparing the same sandwiches for lunch every day, give them the chance to choose from different sauces and ingredients, and encourage them to play with various combinations until they find out what they like.
When kids are more aware of the nuances of taste and texture in the food they eat, they are more likely to be sensitive to excessive oil and fat and the artificial taste of heavily processed foods.
It is not difficult to teach kids to love healthy foods. The trick is to help them cultivate an appreciation for fresh, healthy foods, rather than force them to eat their veggies.
With a true appreciation for healthy food, kids are less likely to turn to the heavily processed foods and beverages that have caused such serious health issues in the past decades.
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Romayne Warner is a full time self-employed blogging fanatic. Obsessed with finding small ways to save money every day, she enjoys sharing her frugal lifestyle tips and tricks with the world, she regularly writes about healthy living and health cover related topics.
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Awesome ideas!!
Give some of these tips a shot with YOUR tykes and see if you can get them embracing yummy, fresh, whole, natural foods at this impressionable stage in their lives.
It’s worth it to do the extra work with them now, because it’s guaranteed to benefit them for their entire lives.
Thanks again to Romayne for helping me out while I get myself back up to speed.
I’ll be back soon with another video, I promise.
In the meantime…
Have a fit, fun and fantastic day.
Girlwithnoname
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