Start Small With Kids
START SMALL TO IMPROVE YOUR KIDS’ DIET
I really enjoy talking to parents who have questions about improving their kids’ diet. Just yesterday I talked with three mothers about how to get their children to eat better. First off, I would like to commend the parents for taking the responsibility on their shoulders to improve their kids’ health by changing the way they eat. Nowadays, you see children becoming diabetics and severely overweight by the age of 8. Very sad but true.
Don’t allow your children to come home from school and just snack on chips and cookies. I know you’re tired from a long day but you have to prepare a meal for them. When I was young I remember coming home from school and throwing little pizzas in the microwave every day. Thank God I was really active as a teenager because I would be a “Michelin Man” today.
So what can you do as a parent for your kids’ diet? Glad you asked….let’s start with what’s on the outside of the package.
* Read food labels. Whole grains come in many forms: whole wheat, popcorn, buckwheat, wild rice — the list goes on.
* Don’t be fooled! Be wary of misleading claims on packages. “Multi-grain” isn’t whole grain, and the only way to know is to look at the ingredient list. The ingredient list is right below the Nutrition Facts. The least amount of ingredients the better.
*If the marketers don’t get you with “Mult-grain”, they try to get you with, “New”. Here’s some homework for ya. The next time you’re in the grocery store look to see how many items you see with the word “New” stamped on it. I bet you run out of fingers and toes to count them on. The average person will automatically grab the “New” item without even looking to see what’s on the Nutrition Facts. But you’re not the “average person” because I’m educating you to shop better. Tell ‘em “CC” sent you.
* Mix it up! Enriched grains provide some nutrients that whole grains may not. Most enriched grain products are fortified with folic acid (folate), as well as iron, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin. In general, parents should make sure that at least half of the grains their child eats are whole grains and the rest of the servings their child needs can be from enriched grains.
* Watch your sugars and fats. Just because a food contains whole grains, it doesn’t mean that it is a healthy choice. When choosing whole-grain products look for ones without added sugar or fat.
* Keep it colorful. Kids and teens need carbohydrates from all groups, not just grains. Don’t forget to add color to the shopping cart with fruits, vegetables, and dairy.
Parents shouldn’t go crazy trying to make sure that everything in the pantry is all whole grain all the time. If you want to get your child to eat more whole grains, start with small changes, like making sandwiches on whole- wheat bread rather than white. Instead of making spaghetti with all regular pasta, try replacing half of the regular pasta with whole wheat pasta.
So, this was some of what I talked about with the parents I could’ve went on but didn’t want to bore you. Do you have any questions about your child? If it’s too personal, just email me cc@ccmatthews.com
To your Kids’ health,
CC Matthews
Posted by admin | in Fat Loss Strategies, Fitness Advice, Mind/Motivation, Nutrition Tips & Strategies | 2 Comments
I try not to give my daughter things to eat that I don’t eat myself, that way she gets used to how I eat and hopefully will make better food choices when she is not with me!!
Nice post, thanks for sharing this wonderful and useful information with us.
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