Sharing some ideas on how to set healthy examples for kids, teach them about health, and get them excited about nutrition.
Hello friends! How is the week going? Things have been chaotic around here, between the girls’ dance competitions, school events, and of course, having fun times whenever we can. When you have a hectic schedule and active kids, it’s even more important to teach them healthy eating habits.
For today’s post, I’m answering a reader’s request about teaching kids about nutrition and setting a healthy example for kids as they grow up. Please note that while I am a Certified Personal Trainer, Women’s Fitness Specialist, Holistic Health Practitioner, and P1 Nutrition Coach, I am not a doctor or registered dietitian. Regardless, it has been important to me to be a role model for my children and teach them healthy behaviors that they can maintain for life. In today’s post, I share some of the things that have worked for us and, as always, I love hearing your feedback too!
How to teach children about nutrition
Show, don’t tell
This is my number one tip and I could probably end this post here. Many of the things children know about nutrition have been learned by watching us and seeing how we eat, how we plan our meals, and how we shop. I don’t really have to “tell” them anything; Children are little sponges and are always absorbing information from the world around them. Make sure you are a good role model.
I love the fact that our kids are adventurous eaters and seem to enjoy food as much as we do. They are not picky eaters and will try anything, and while they have a sweet tooth (me too!), they also enjoy a variety of foods, including lots of fresh produce, protein, healthy fats, and nutrient-dense foods. starches. One of my biggest nutrition goals for the girls was to teach them about balance, something they can only learn if I model it myself.. I’ll have a giant salad, but I’ll also have a cupcake, ice cream, or a couple of peanut butter cookies, and it’s no big deal. We order pizza from Domino’s (they love it) and get donuts delivered weekly. I never want anything to be *weird* or forbidden, and they know that we focus on healthy foods like colorful, fresh foods from the earth, but we also have room for things that embrace the soul.
(Their favorite snack: smoked oysters and sardines without skin or bones. They eat them straight from the can.)
This can be difficult if you’ve grown up with a complicated relationship with food, but remember that kids are always watching. Enjoy treats without feeling guilty and don’t talk about how food affects your physical appearance. Instead of talking about foods as good or bad, you can say things like “I’m going to have a lot of energy after this salad” or “Soup always makes me feel better when I’m bad.” Or you could also say nothing. I find that everything I eat, girls want to eat too. I often make larger portions because I know at least half will “taste.”
eat the rainbow
I don’t think kids *need* to know the vitamin content, mineral content, or macro balance of their foods. Instead, they can focus on eating the rainbow. You can ask them, “Hey, did you have anything green today?” Do you want salad, broccoli or zucchini for dinner? (Healthy food options like this are a win-win for everyone.) “How many colors of the rainbow can we put on our plate for lunch?”
This is a great way to encourage younger children to eat foods from different food groups without it seeming like a chore, and an easy way to encourage proper nutrition for older children.
Having a small garden has also encouraged them to try new things. Our kids love going outside to pick carrots, bell peppers, salad greens, and melons. Not only is it helpful at meal time, but our garden has been a game changer when it comes to healthy snacks!
Give them freedom within the parameters.
For this one, if I know they’ve already had more sugar during the day (like boba tea AND ice cream at the pool), I’ll give them some more nutrient-dense options for other meals. “Hey, do you want chicken or fish tonight?” “What vegetables or fruits do you want with your meal?” Girls know that at every meal they will get a few constants: a protein, a starch, a healthy fat, and always a fruit or vegetable (usually at both lunch and dinner). I hope that by preparing our meals this way, they will inherently know how to balance a dish when they are older.
Let them go shopping with you and choose new product options.
This is definitely the most fun! Every time we go to the grocery store or order groceries online, I let each of the girls choose a new fruit or vegetable. They often surprise me with her choices and so we have been able to discover new things. This makes them excited to try these new options and I think it also keeps us out of the monotony of having the same fruits and vegetables in our rotation. It’s also fun to take them to the farmers market and pick out some new finds that they find interesting.
Involve them in the cooking process.
Children are ALWAYS more excited to eat when they helped prepare the food. For our dinners, I try to find age-appropriate ways to let them help, whether it’s peeling carrots, preparing a salad kit (P can do everything from start to finish), washing and seasoning vegetables, harvesting herbs or greens from the garden, measuring ingredients or chopping (with supervision the entire time, obviously). Cooking with them usually takes a little more time, but it’s worth it. I want them to enjoy cooking and it’s another way to enjoy time together. If you are looking for a cookbook for children, Girls love this one. (Liv recently told me it’s “too easy” for her, so we’re looking for a new one!)
So, friends, tell me: what habits are you trying to establish in your children as they grow? What are some resources that have helped you?
How do you involve children in the cooking process?
hugs and kisses
gina
