Thursday, June 3, 2010

Healthy eating with our children...


Or, this could also be titled "dealing with the picky eater" as is exactly whats happening in my house.
I can't even believe it, but I have one of those kids. My almost 7-year-old daughter lives on carbs. She hates almost everything I cook (and I think I'm a pretty good cook, thank you very much!). If it's a vegetable she picks it out. She won't even eat kid staples like spaghetti, grilled cheese (she peels off the cheese), or peanut butter and jelly. She does like crust however, but doesn't like eggs, quiche, most soup, pizza, and of course, anything ANYTHING touching.

My new strategy? Make it fun!
- Growing our own food
If she picks it, she often eats it. Ok, eat might be a strong word. Let's try 'taste', 'sample', or 'nibble'.
- Make it look silly!
I've found if I make quesadilla for lunch she won't touch it. But if I make it star shaped, she eats the whole thing! A friend of mine has figured out that if she kebabs it, her child will eat just about anything on the kebab. She's tried all fruit kebabs, and all veggies. Add a little dip to the meal for extra fun. Definitely on my 'must try' list.

I've been lately contemplating the terms I use when talking about food with my child. Healthy, good for you, it will make you grow strong. I cringe when I hear myself, yet, I feel it must be said.
But I've been reading lately, a lot. And I'm seeing new terms like "grow" foods, which got me interested. Here is a quote from an article I read from Dr. Sears, about what he tells his children:
“Grow foods are filled with protein, which is like the steel, bricks, and concrete, that construction workers use to build a strong building. Grow foods have good carbs, or good sugars, that provide energy for you to run, think, and learn. These foods have smart fats that make your brain smart and your skin smooth. And grow foods are filled with fiber, which cleans out your body and makes your poop softer. Grow foods are packed with tiny foods called vitamins and minerals that act like energy batteries to help all the rest of the nutrients work better and help you grow. And, they taste good!”

I like it. Gonna try it.

And here's an excellent quote from a mom, definitely like this!

"I explained to my kids that once the junk food was gone I was no longer going to buy it. I explained that mommy was learning about how 'grow' food, like fruits and vegetables, makes us strong and healthy, and how sugary foods have been making us sick. Just like we wouldn’t allow bad people into our homes to hurt us, we were no longer going to allow bad food into our home and bodies to hurt us.”
 

"The Meadow" at Bumblebee Toys Copyright © 2009 Flower Garden is Designed by Ipietoon for Tadpole's Notez Flower Image by Dapino | Distributed by Deluxe Templates