Comments on: Kids and Food Choices http://blog.bodybuilding.com/Decosta/2008/08/10/kids-and-food-choices/ Becoming a Capoeira God Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:16:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=0.32 by: slimmgrimm http://blog.bodybuilding.com/Decosta/2008/08/10/kids-and-food-choices/#comment-2880352 Sat, 23 Aug 2008 05:05:32 +0000 http://blog.bodybuilding.com/Decosta/2008/08/10/kids-and-food-choices/#comment-2880352 As a father myself, I can definitely say your kids' habits will largely reflect your own. If you eat healthy, they will. Remember that your taste buds know what Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and all that "good junk" tastes like; your kids have no idea. What they will know and see is the eating habits of you and your wife. I knew many kids in high school who never went to McD's and it even seemed gross to some of them. Just because we grew up with it doesn't mean we should let our kids grow up with it out of some sense of obligation. Treats are okay now and again, but make them healthy treats. Sugary and greasy snacks are not necessarily a rite of passage for kids. Just model good eating habits and they'll join in, mainly because they rely on you for their example when they're young. Once school hits, you'll have to contend with their peers' eating habits, but hopefully by then a healthy lifestyle will have been ingrained on them. I'm a good example for this; I grew up on McD's and unfortunately so have my kids. Trying to get them to taste the healthy foods now is difficult. Thank goodness for some fast food joints switching to healthier alternatives, like apple slice instead of fries. It's making things a bit easier, but the best bet would have been to drive right past McDonald's and head for Subway instead. Now that I'm more health conscious, it's rubbing off on the kids. For example, in our house, the perfect "snack" for our kids (all 5 of them!) comes in the form of Nabisco's 100 calorie snack packs. It's just the right size for them, it's a break from the norm, and it's not too much. My kids love the sun chips. So yeah - my advice: model healthy eating and don't pay any attention to those staples of our own childhood if at all possible. And if you do, make it a very special event, a family night out. After all, your kids will need to learn that it's okay to let go once in awhile, so long as it's not the norm. As a father myself, I can definitely say your kids’ habits will largely reflect your own. If you eat healthy, they will. Remember that your taste buds know what Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, and all that "good junk" tastes like; your kids have no idea. What they will know and see is the eating habits of you and your wife. I knew many kids in high school who never went to McD’s and it even seemed gross to some of them. Just because we grew up with it doesn’t mean we should let our kids grow up with it out of some sense of obligation.

Treats are okay now and again, but make them healthy treats. Sugary and greasy snacks are not necessarily a rite of passage for kids. Just model good eating habits and they’ll join in, mainly because they rely on you for their example when they’re young. Once school hits, you’ll have to contend with their peers’ eating habits, but hopefully by then a healthy lifestyle will have been ingrained on them. I’m a good example for this; I grew up on McD’s and unfortunately so have my kids. Trying to get them to taste the healthy foods now is difficult. Thank goodness for some fast food joints switching to healthier alternatives, like apple slice instead of fries. It’s making things a bit easier, but the best bet would have been to drive right past McDonald’s and head for Subway instead.

Now that I’m more health conscious, it’s rubbing off on the kids. For example, in our house, the perfect "snack" for our kids (all 5 of them!) comes in the form of Nabisco’s 100 calorie snack packs. It’s just the right size for them, it’s a break from the norm, and it’s not too much. My kids love the sun chips.

So yeah - my advice: model healthy eating and don’t pay any attention to those staples of our own childhood if at all possible. And if you do, make it a very special event, a family night out. After all, your kids will need to learn that it’s okay to let go once in awhile, so long as it’s not the norm.

]]> by: Pam http://blog.bodybuilding.com/Decosta/2008/08/10/kids-and-food-choices/#comment-2810472 Sun, 10 Aug 2008 17:22:53 +0000 http://blog.bodybuilding.com/Decosta/2008/08/10/kids-and-food-choices/#comment-2810472 Hi D., You have to get your kids on board to having a health life style, then when they are older they may not want to eat at the fastfood places and they would want to go home and prepare a veggie plate. But you have to get the while thay are young. It's great that your wife is already eating good so it will be a much easer transition for you and the kids. Keep them out of the snack closet, and they will not miss what they don't have. Don't buy it and that will not miss it. And tell your In-law's not to give it to them. Pam Hi D.,
You have to get your kids on board to having a health life style, then when they are older they may not want to eat at the fastfood places and they would want to go home and prepare a veggie plate. But you have to get the while thay are young. It’s great that your wife is already eating good so it will be a much easer transition for you and the kids.
Keep them out of the snack closet, and they will not miss what they don’t have. Don’t buy it and that will not miss it. And tell your In-law’s not to give it to them.

Pam

]]> by: Lilli1976 http://blog.bodybuilding.com/Decosta/2008/08/10/kids-and-food-choices/#comment-2809532 Sun, 10 Aug 2008 10:02:46 +0000 http://blog.bodybuilding.com/Decosta/2008/08/10/kids-and-food-choices/#comment-2809532 Hello, Especially kids have to eat healthy!My oldest son(almost5)eats as healthy as I do,just the occasional sweets(at most 10 little things a month)he doesnt crave sweets and junk food at all.I have to say,I never went with him to a fast food restaurant and never bought junk food either.When he was around 1 1/2-2years old I introduced him to the kitchen and its possibilities,he loves to chop up vegetables and help making the food,we also go shopping together for the ingredients to make a good tasting meal.He loves it! He is very healthy and has perfect teeth. I never forced him to eat healthy,I just explained the difference of healthy and junk to him.It seemed reasonal to him and he decided to go this way.When he was younger he just got what I ate,with the extra amount of carbs(like oats,dark bread,more potatoes than I could eat ;) In junkfood is mononatriumglutamat,which is in discussion of causing cancer and it is a reason for ADHS in children as well.All the E s are bad too,not to mention the amount of salt and sugar in junkfood and sweets. If you teach your kids from the beginning and let them help making healthy food,they will be so proud what they can do and eat about everthing.My son eats spinach,brocolli...It just needs a little effort and your kids will thank you later in their life,because they dont have to deal with overweight,diabetes,bad teeth... I hope I could help you a little:) I wish you the best! Sarah Hello,
Especially kids have to eat healthy!My oldest son(almost5)eats as healthy as I do,just the occasional sweets(at most 10 little things a month)he doesnt crave sweets and junk food at all.I have to say,I never went with him to a fast food restaurant and never bought junk food either.When he was around 1 1/2-2years old I introduced him to the kitchen and its possibilities,he loves to chop up vegetables and help making the food,we also go shopping together for the ingredients to make a good tasting meal.He loves it!
He is very healthy and has perfect teeth.
I never forced him to eat healthy,I just explained the difference of healthy and junk to him.It seemed reasonal to him and he decided to go this way.When he was younger he just got what I ate,with the extra amount of carbs(like oats,dark bread,more potatoes than I could eat ;)

In junkfood is mononatriumglutamat,which is in discussion of causing cancer and it is a reason for ADHS in children as well.All the E s are bad too,not to mention the amount of salt and sugar in junkfood and sweets.

If you teach your kids from the beginning and let them help making healthy food,they will be so proud what they can do and eat about everthing.My son eats spinach,brocolli…It just needs a little effort and your kids will thank you later in their life,because they dont have to deal with overweight,diabetes,bad teeth…

I hope I could help you a little:)
I wish you the best!
Sarah

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