Page 42 - Inspire Health September/October 2015
P. 42
s• mighty kids Involve them in the preparation.
I was blessed with two kids who love
to cook. Yes, it’s slower and messier to
let them do the chopping, pouring and
mixing, but they will sooner eat their own
creations, and they’ll insist that the whole
family does it with them. (So it’s a great
way to get Dad on board, too!)
Enlist a buddy.
If you’re introducing a new eating
style to your household, why not ask
another family to join you? Outings at the
park, dinners at restaurants and even just
playdates at home will be a lot less stressful
if everyone is eating the same thing.
Teach them to read labels.
Once your child’s reading skills are
solid, tell your child about nutrition
labels. One of the biggest things my kids
struggled with was portion size and
number in the package. For example: The
150 calories per serving listed on the label
means 450 calories for the whole bag
when it contains three servings.
Be realistic.
HEALTHY EATING TIPS If she’s going to Bella’s birthday party,
she’s going to have ice cream and cake.
How They Learn And that’s fine. Use it as a teachable
moment and explain that we all indulge
from time to time. Then, we make up for
W by Michele Robert Poche Stock your kitchen appropriately. it at the next meal with healthy choices.
ith school back in If you’ve got bags of cheese crackers Make it fun.
session, our kids are on
I invited my daughter to take a
7-day raw breakfast challenge with me.
Not only did she help me select all the
their own again, and and corn chips sitting next to the celery ingredients, she learned about things like
many of their daily decisions will be made and carrots, it’s a tough competition. Goji berries, chia seeds and coconut milk,
independently. That’s a good thing. Fostering Yes, you can still have these things in things she never would have tried before
independence in children helps them feel in your house, but keep them out of sight the challenge. Plus her favorite new
control, self-reliant and confident. for better decision-making. It might just breakfast includes spinach!
But we wouldn’t teach a child to cross help you, too.
a street by letting him go alone the very Plan your meals.
first time. Instead, we would talk about it Take your child to the store with
beforehand and practice together, then you to plan a healthy meal. No, I’m not
let him fly solo. talking about the $250 weekly grocery
The same can be said for healthy run. I’m talking about a quality outing
eating. A child left to his own devices has with just the two (or more) of you,
no idea that an apple will do more for his recipe in hand, to find everything you
physical well-being than a cookie. That is need — from bok choy to quinoa — for
learned behavior. And here are just a few a special meal you can enjoy together.
ways you can teach it.
tTeoalicvheininogfakaicdnosmedhmouuwcnatittoiyofnre.eesd–ptoAnhsleiicmbelsyWeilasvtetesrhsaencdenhtoewr
42 INSPIRE HEALTH September § October 2015
I was blessed with two kids who love
to cook. Yes, it’s slower and messier to
let them do the chopping, pouring and
mixing, but they will sooner eat their own
creations, and they’ll insist that the whole
family does it with them. (So it’s a great
way to get Dad on board, too!)
Enlist a buddy.
If you’re introducing a new eating
style to your household, why not ask
another family to join you? Outings at the
park, dinners at restaurants and even just
playdates at home will be a lot less stressful
if everyone is eating the same thing.
Teach them to read labels.
Once your child’s reading skills are
solid, tell your child about nutrition
labels. One of the biggest things my kids
struggled with was portion size and
number in the package. For example: The
150 calories per serving listed on the label
means 450 calories for the whole bag
when it contains three servings.
Be realistic.
HEALTHY EATING TIPS If she’s going to Bella’s birthday party,
she’s going to have ice cream and cake.
How They Learn And that’s fine. Use it as a teachable
moment and explain that we all indulge
from time to time. Then, we make up for
W by Michele Robert Poche Stock your kitchen appropriately. it at the next meal with healthy choices.
ith school back in If you’ve got bags of cheese crackers Make it fun.
session, our kids are on
I invited my daughter to take a
7-day raw breakfast challenge with me.
Not only did she help me select all the
their own again, and and corn chips sitting next to the celery ingredients, she learned about things like
many of their daily decisions will be made and carrots, it’s a tough competition. Goji berries, chia seeds and coconut milk,
independently. That’s a good thing. Fostering Yes, you can still have these things in things she never would have tried before
independence in children helps them feel in your house, but keep them out of sight the challenge. Plus her favorite new
control, self-reliant and confident. for better decision-making. It might just breakfast includes spinach!
But we wouldn’t teach a child to cross help you, too.
a street by letting him go alone the very Plan your meals.
first time. Instead, we would talk about it Take your child to the store with
beforehand and practice together, then you to plan a healthy meal. No, I’m not
let him fly solo. talking about the $250 weekly grocery
The same can be said for healthy run. I’m talking about a quality outing
eating. A child left to his own devices has with just the two (or more) of you,
no idea that an apple will do more for his recipe in hand, to find everything you
physical well-being than a cookie. That is need — from bok choy to quinoa — for
learned behavior. And here are just a few a special meal you can enjoy together.
ways you can teach it.
tTeoalicvheininogfakaicdnosmedhmouuwcnatittoiyofnre.eesd–ptoAnhsleiicmbelsyWeilasvtetesrhsaencdenhtoewr
42 INSPIRE HEALTH September § October 2015
