Are Your Kids Getting Enough?
Most parents worry about their kid’s nutrition.
Often mealtimes are a battle for what kids want versus what they need. And who can’t relate to that, right?
So, increase simplicity and decrease stress.
Save time, money, and health by shopping the perimeter of the grocery store, and stock the pantry and fridge with healthy foods that everyone loves. Each season has its specialties, and summer is especially abundant in a plethora of fresh fruits great for snacking.
Look, we can have candy, or…we can have watermelon. If we enjoy both then stocking up on the melon and not buying the candy is a quite simple change to implement.
For savory snacks, make a rainbow plate. Crudités such as carrots, cucumbers, celery, colored bell peppers, cherry or grape tomatoes with a favorite dressing, and maybe a few pickles, olives, and cheese sprinkled in, makes for great raw, snacks and kids will love the crunchiness! At first, they may balk if you’re exchanging these for chips, but as healthy foods work their magic, giving more energy and helping kids to feel better, their taste buds and preferences will adapt.
If anyone in your family needs to lose some weight, cruciferous vegetable are good alone or in salads, raw or lightly steamed and help to burn the most fat:
Cruciferous Fat-Busting Veggies that are great raw:
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Radishes
The most effective way to implement these changes is to always have healthy foods on hand and ready to eat. If both parents work outside the home, the family can have fun on Sunday afternoons or evenings, chopping melons and veggies up into serving sized containers for quick grab-and-go snacks.
Kids are naturally inquisitive, so you can make it a game to shop for new fresh foods to try, and to cook together in new recipes. Many parents and children alike report their fondest memories are around cooking together.
What other ideas do you have to create a healthier food culture with the kids?
