5 Tips To Healthier Eating For Kids

Raising kids is tough! Yes Mom and Dad here is the moment you’ve been waiting for.

You were right!

All those times I can recall as a child hearing my parents say “you just wait till you have kids”…… It all makes sense now.

During the school year my day starts at 6am and doesn’t end until 8pm. There are 50 kids to cook for at school, homework to complete and baseball practice or games in the evening. I understand how parents end up in a drive-thru at 6pm due to hectic work schedules. Although I admit being in a drive-thru a few times a year, I feel guilty every time. Food is my life and providing real food to my family and the kids at school is what motivates me.

Below are a few tips I’ve used to educate my kids on making healthy decisions. These are not all inclusive and I’m by no means perfect (regardless of what my wife says) but I do strive to teach my kids what real food is.

Nutrition is always evolving and I am always educating myself on the newest developments. If you have any other suggestions or tips that have worked for you please share them in the comment section.

1:Play a game at the grocery store

Have your kids identify and pick out fruits and vegetables. They want a frozen food or packaged meal? Say yes ONLY if they can pronounce each ingredient AND understand what it is! When they can’t direct them to the “ healthier” frozen foods and do the same.

2: Let kids help in the kitchen

Most kids are eager to help out in the kitchen. Give them simple tasks like adding in pre-measured seasonings. Talk about each step and explain what you are doing and why. To me, understanding how to cook is the most important lesson you can teach a kid to help make healthier decisions. Michael Pollan agrees.

3: Plant a family garden

No need for a massive farm. A few container pots with strawberries, tomatoes and herbs are easy to care for and provide lots of food for a family. Kids love eating what they grow.

4: Take a trip to a local farmers market

Yes, you do have a farmers market close by. You just haven’t discovered it yet. Let your kids talk to the vendors, pick out some fruit or vegetables and create a meal with the ingredients.

http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/