I am worried about nutrition and my child. I try to feed my kid well, but then I see friends feeding their children hot dogs and nuggets everyday. Am I too tough?
Hot dogs, greasy grilled cheese, pasta drowning in butter or neon “cheez”, chicken fingers… These are the foods tagged as kid cuisine. Who decided that? Shouldn’t kid food be nutrition rich, protein packed, vitamin filled, real food to help growing bodies, well… grow?
So, no, you are not too tough. Here are some ways to stay the course in a world throwing unhealthy at you and your family:
- Do not have food in the house that you do not want your kids to eat. If you don’t want kids eating nuggets, do not have them in the home. No powdered mac ‘n’ cheese for your family? Do not buy it.
- Model healthy eating. Have your kids see you eating healthy and yummy food. Eat meals with your kids and feed them what you eat.
- Have kids help in choosing meals and even in some prep. When kids have some ownership in mealtime, they are more likely to eat. Let them pour ingredients, mix, do a make-your-own-pizza night. Plant a garden and have them help pick veggies to use in family meals. Do anything to get them excited about healthy food.
- Respect that kids have preferences, too. If your child eats most foods that you offer but has one or two that she really doesn’t enjoy, respect that. I keep trying, but I just do not like blueberries (I know, Mom, they are SO healthy).
A family can begin healthy eating at any time. It is never too late. Oh, and healthy eating habits do include treats here and there. Enjoy some ice cream, take-out pizza, a burger, a cookie, or some pie from time to time with your kids. Treats are fine and fun. However, when it comes to daily meal times, the food should be of the healthy, muscle-building varieties. Give it a try. Your future grown up kids will thank you.
Like what you read? Sign up for our free newsletter so you can be informed of the latest FREE webinars & teleclasses, parenting articles, & weekly raffles.
Brandi Davis, ACC, is a professional Parenting Coach, Parent Educator, and Author of O.K. I’m A Parent Now What? She can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and be sure to catch her parenting podcasts on iTunes. The goal of Brandi’s practice is to bring respect, calm communication, teamwork, and FUN into the home or classroom. To discover all that Child and Family Coaching can bring to your family stop by www.childandfamilycoaching.com.
The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.