Obese kids are getting a hard time from the press. Figures just released in the UK say that about a quarter of five year olds are fat. They say that in the long term, that is going to affect life expectancy. Others say that these figures are not really true and that death rates are not going to be affected in any significant way by obesity.
No matter what your stance is on this, we still have to make sure our kids eat right. That means finding fun food recipes for kids. Discovering a nutritional health program at school and at home will be of paramount importance for a healthy lifestyle from now right into adulthood.
The food industry shows kids about 20,000 ads a year ! The ads rarely show foods or snacks which could be called nutritional or healthy and the aim is to make more money. Most of these snacks are full of trans fats, sugar and salt and as kids will snack constantly, this is worrying. Research just published points the finger at food additives and colourings in these snacks as a possible cause of hyperactivity and ADHD.
Getting kids to help you in the litchen is a great way of involving them and making them aware of what they eat. Kids love to try cooking and have great fun in eating what they have prepared. Their spirit of adventure is greater than we think and if they follow our boring choices, then we only have ourselves to blame.
When parents are diffident about what they eat, kids beome very choosy. Parents need to exploit their kids' curiosity about food and the best way to do this is to be really enthusiastic about what yu are eating. Then they will more than likely want to try it. As a family we should always eat together- research shows that teenagers who were on a healthy nutritional program had always eaten with the family.
Why do kids always choose the same old boring things on the kids' menus? Fact is they are just repeating the same old routine and going for the fish fingers and chicken nuggets which they always have at home ! Again, being enthusiastic about food is a great way for parents to get them out of the rut. Another way is to not let them choose from the kids' menu but to have somrthing with you from the normal menu - in this way they can be involved in the choice.
When The University of Minnesota did a survey of the schools who were offering healthy nutritional lunches alongside with more traditional fare, they found that there was no reduction in the sales for the healthier meals. Some schools now offer a low-fat turkey hot dog and have found that this healthy alternative is popular with the students.
Another great way of getting kids into a nutritional health program without them even realizing it is to get out your blender and go for the smoothies. Kids do not like greens or fruit but when you mix them in a smoothie, then it is much more attractive and easy for them for to drink - tons better than a bottle of soda pop!
About the Author
Tired of thinking up healthy recipes for a healthy nutritional program for your kids ? Fun Food For Kids For Health Tips, visit The Wellness Bible for the latest news and research on wellness, fitness and medicine.
No comments:
Post a Comment