PARENTS ONLY: keeping family & kids healthy & well

ThatCatholicGirl

I don't really know what the US is like with regard to your cereals, but it shocked me here in the UK just how much sugar is in "healthy" option cereals!!

I quite often make my son scrambled egg and healthy baked beans on toast in the morning for breakfast, or crumpets because I know there is less sugar and more nutritionally beneficial to him, it's worth getting up half an hour earlier to prepare it.

Hot lunches at our school are excellent and I have no need to be concerned about what he chooses there which is great as a parent, but he only has them twice a week mainly due to cost. The other three days he will usually have a carton of fruit juice or a bottle of water with a sandwich or wrap with some salad in it (I can't get him to eat lettuce, but at 5yrs old I think it's a bit tricky though I do try to hide it occasionally lol!) some fruit, something dairy such as a yoghurt or a cheese item and a "treat" like homemade fruity flapjack, Soreen, sugar free jelly, plain popcorn or rice cakes. When he comes home from school I will only let him eat fruit for a snack before his dinner - mainly because if he eats anything else he messes around with his dinner!

I try to get him to help in choosing what we have for dinner by asking him to pick a few different vegetables, or the meat or fish we're having. I've found this helps him be less picky and I can honestly say that our child is not a fussy eater at all. There are certain things he really doesn't like (such as bananas) but then we all have those!

He attends football (soccer to the Americans), tennis and swimming coaching every week and as a family we also swim and get out on our bikes every week if the weather is nice. We're lucky to be within walking distance to the town centre so we do tend to walk everywhere, including to school. I explain to him that we walk to be fit and not fat and how good food and exercise really helps our bodies. Equally I tell him that it's okay to have our favourite treats but that they are just that - treats. We can have a pudding after our dinner, we can have our favourite chocolate bar once or twice a week, we can go to KFC every few weeks and that's absolutely fine. I love how my son completely understands WHY we make the choices we do and he doesn't half surprise me with his own. For example when at the shops the other day he asked to buy a massive fruit salad pot. I never deny him fruit so I said sure. He then picked up a Cadbury's creme egg with it being nearly Easter and he asked for that too. I told him to pick one or the other (part of me thought "oooooh!!!! Creme Egg!! Yumm!! And a quarter of the price of the fruit pot!" haha!!! And he put the creme egg back where he found it!

We need to be positive role models for our children, I think some folk rely on school too much to teach them about healthy lifestyles.

KatjaO

My biggest issue is all others from the school bus lady to the other moms "loving" the kids with chocolate, lollypops, cupcakes, cookies etc. EVERYDAY. Not to mention all the darn birthday treats at school and elsewhere at least once a week, and the fact that most of their class mates get cookies and candy (welch's "fruit" snack or "fruit" rollups anyone?) as snack from home. My kids eat their fruit but I do hear about it and they feel really sad even though they know why they have what they have as snack.

emmalouisebull

I teach kids and adults to read/understand nutrition labels so they can be aware of the food choice they are making.
When my kids go to birthday parties, I make sure they have something healthy to eat/drink (fruit smoothie) before had so they are less likely to over indulge on the party food and they don't get embarassed or have to say "I am not allowed to eat that". I just teach them to only eat if they are hungry. Eduction is key. Kids need to know why they should eat good healthy food and why 'junk' food is a less than ideal choice.

KatjaO

On hiding and not hiding veggies. I do both, it does not have to be so black and white. For example the alphabet soup I make has tomato sauce, carrots, onions and some small green bits (spinach, parley, basil). This part the kids (and hubby) see and know. In addition there is either a huge eggplant or few zucchinis and occasionally also other veggies. I also like making my versions of zucchini/pumpkin bread or beet chocolate cake. I tell the kids what they are made out of, but they do not taste at all like veggies so it is sort of hiding. But is is a way to both make the otherwise unhealthy snack/treat healthier (I also use nothing but wholewheat etc) and a way to help increase the amount and variety of veggie they eat. I see no need to always hide or never hide.

I must say that somehow keeping junk away from the kids and giving them veggies all along will automatically turn them into veggie lovers. Simply not the case. Out of my 3, one turned super pick at the age of 3. He had had nothing but wholesome healthy foods that far and broccoli was one of his favorite things to eat. He helped (still does) cook, we garden and belong to a CSA, etc - all these "tricks" how to get your kid to love veggies. We also eat a ton of veggies our selves and have dinner together as a family every night. Regardless, almost overnight he started not eating any veggies. We of course did not give up, but it is a fight to have him eat veggies (he's 7 now). The other 2 are better, in fact the third is a fruit lover, she'll eat those rather than treats!! Just saying not to guilt moms and dads who have picky kids.