Just because many of us are fighting the battle of the bulge, that doesn’t mean that we can’t teach our kids how to eat properly and stay fit. In fact, this is the ideal time for us to break the chain and make sure that our children never have to deal with the kind of weight loss worries we do.
Guaranteeing your children a better future isn’t just about global warming and recycling – it is about teaching them the skills they’ll need to live a happy, healthy life. At the top of that list should be teaching them about an active lifestyle and making good food choices.
Children learn best what is taught at home. If your kids see soft drinks and junk food all the time at home then they will grow up believing that those are appropriate everyday snack foods. If they grow up in an environment where their snacking options include fresh fruits and vegetables and lots of water, then those food choices will be forever ingrained for them.
When my son started eating solid foods, my parents were eager to introduce him to ice cream, lollipops and chocolate. I strictly forbade this and disappointed my parents a bit but I knew I was doing the best thing for my son. Instead of those foods, I introduced him to fresh berries, apple slices and bananas. I’m happy to say that at the age of three he still has not developed a taste for sweets but he’ll happily sit down and eat a pint of grape tomatoes for lunch if allowed.
If you haven’t started good food habits with your kids yet, do it now. Get them involved in meal planning and teach them about different carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Teach them about the importance of good nutrition. Don’t kick them out of the kitchen but give them age-appropriate tasks like mixing or stirring. Teach them about the need to wash their hands and cleaning up the kitchen after cooking. Let them help you cook healthy meals and they’ll be more likely to eat them.