Childhood obesity is a growing problem. With processed and fast foods easily available, kids often eat foods that are simply not good for them. They often do so without understanding the impact of their food choices. By teaching kids about healthy foods, you help guide their food choices and educate them about what their bodies need to grow and stay strong and healthy. Teaching kids about healthy foods needn't be an onerous task; you can incorporate teaching about food into your everyday life to help your children learn this critical health skill.
Step 1
Have your kids help plan and prepare family meals. Getting your kids involved in the process of feeding everyone in the family not only cuts down on meal-time balking, but it also teaches kids how to plan a well-rounded, nutritious meal that appeals to everyone's palate.
Step 2
Take your kids with you when shopping for food. Whether it's the grocery store, farmer's market or butcher, have your kids come along to understand what choices exist. Discuss what's in food items by looking at the ingredients on packages, if your child is of reading age. If your child is slightly older, have him look up the meaning of some of the more lengthy chemical terms to help gain an understanding of what's being added to packaged foods, and thus, into his body.
Step 3
Stock the house with healthy options. Don't just talk about good food choices; make sure you have healthy choices easily available. Summertime provides a plethora of fresh fruit options, but don't forget to teach your children about the seasonality of some of these choices. Winter apples are a delight, and the introduction of winter greens can make a cozy winter meal even better.
Step 4
Show what you know. Children mimic their parents to a very large degree. If you're snacking on potato chips, so will your kids. Instead, note what you're eating and make sure you're leading your kids down a healthy path by joining them in healthy snacking. If you don't care for the texture of some fruits, make a healthy smoothie with yogurt and fresh or frozen fruit, for example.
Step 5
Keep a food journal for a week. If you're finding your kids or yourself slipping, try tracking your food intake for one week. Sit down together and go through the foods, noting any food choices that weren't healthy. Talk about what the healthier option might have been and what prevented your child (or you) from making that choice.
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