The ideal diet for childhood is one that gives your child a lifetime of healthy food habits. A child who happily grows up snacking on raw carrots instead of potato chips will probably eat her share of junk food at sleepovers and amusement parks. She might, however, choose the smoothie instead of the milkshake when she goes out for ice cream because she has developed a taste for nutritious, natural foods.
All Natural Foods
Some evenings get hectic, especially with school-aged children, and calling out for pizza or getting fast food cheeseburgers is better than nothing. The occasional junk food meal will not hurt your child, as long as they are not the norm. Try to provide simple, all natural meals for your child. Whole grain cereal with a glass of orange juice or a banana is a simple, nutritious breakfast. Keep a box of granola bars on hand for busy mornings.
Balanced Meals
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid.gov provides information and resources for parents, teachers and kids on how to create healthy, balanced meals. Remember, every meal does not necessarily need to have something from each food group as long as your child's diet is balanced over a day or a week.
Transitioning
If your child's pediatrician has expressed concern about his weight, keep in mind that changing your child's food habits will take time. Do not abruptly throw out all the cookies in the house and buy nothing but granola and tofu. Instead, discuss the transition in a positive way with your child. Begin with easy substitutions--grill cheeseburgers at home instead of fast food. Buy whole grain baked crackers instead of potato chips fried in oil. When your child is accustomed to these changes, you can slowly introduce less familiar foods or replace unhealthy snacks and desserts with nutritious alternatives.
Babies And Toddlers
As soon as your baby begins solid foods, between 4 and 6 months old, help her form healthy tastes. Mix rice or oat cereal with breast milk or formula instead of juice. When she progresses to vegetables and meats, look for all natural baby foods--or make your own. By the time she is ready for chunky mixed baby foods, she can have a small portion of the family meal. Be sure the food is soft enough for her to mash, or pulverize larger pieces of meat and vegetables with the back of a fork.
Offer your toddler a diced banana or whole grain cereal as a snack. Give her foods that you would not consider "kid friendly," such as asparagus and couscous. Chances are she will happily eat them, especially if the rest of the family enjoys these foods as well.
Teaching Moments
If possible, take your child to a farmer's market or enroll your family in a Community Supported Agriculture co-op. Such a co-op charges a fee in the spring, then participants receive a share of produce each week during the summer and fall. CSAs are a great way to discover new locally grown vegetables and to teach your child about seasonal eating. Many CSAs grow their crops using organic practices, and the farmers are often more than happy to show your family around the operation.
Visit the Local Harvest website to find a farmer's market or CSA near you.
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