May 17, 2012

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Gardens and Good Health: Participation

A child sits at the table — his expression is dour; his disdain is clear. A plate filled to vegetables (the broccoli and carrot fiends) waits before him, untouched since it was first offered. He doesn’t trust the tastes. He doesn’t want the textures. And all arguments of vitamins and calcium enrichment are snorted at, dismissed with all the anger a toddler can manage. He will not eat.

And you finally yield, taking the food away and allowing him to leave.

This is not the first time he has refused to sample what you’ve given him. It will also — you’re certain — not be the last. You wonder what you’re meant to do, how you are to inspire interest. He won’t listen to your explanations. He won’t heed your demands. Instead he views all vegetables with suspicion, unable to decipher their colors.

And that is the source of the problem.

Children are not creatures of reason. Their logic is fueled instead by emotions. If they cannot comprehend an issue they then brand it unworthy. It is your duty to ease that distrust therefore. You must expose your son to the value of nutrition — by allowing him to participate in it.

Gardening is an ideal way to introduce a child to food. It offers hands-on experience (and overwhelming pride). Youths — when provided with their own little patch of land — will be able to grow what they wish, take responsibility for their produce and learn the processes of nature. This will allow them to become familiar with all foods, leaving the mystery of vegetables behind. They will no longer be uncertain of them. They will instead be pleased with their appearance, knowing they were the cause.

This will spark interest and happy egos — enabling them to then sample food with more assurance. They will want to taste what they have created; and they will then discover the goodness it provides.

Filed Under: Organic Food Tagged With: ,

Children That Are Picky Eaters

Chickennuggets
Image via Wikipedia

Many parents spend a great deal of time worrying about what their children eat or will not eat. Parents living with a child that is a picky eater will sometimes feel frustrated and angry that their children will not try to eat nutritious meals. If this is the case the parent should take some time to figure out why the child is a picky eater.

There are many reasons why a child will not eat certain foods. Some children are living with medical conditions that affect the foods that they eat. This may mean that they have trouble swallowing, tasting or digesting food. Some children may have behavioral issues. For example people with obsessive compulsive disorder only eat certain foods. However parents should remember that medical causes only affect a small percentage of picky eaters. Most children that are picky eaters are simply going through food fads or refusal behaviors. Refusal behaviors tend to come into play when a child is asserting their independence. Some children use the practice of refusing food as a way to get some attention from their caregivers.

If the problem is not medical it is important to understand that food refusal is a phase that children will eventually grow out of. In the meanwhile there are some methods that parents can use in order to make sure that their children get the right nutrients from their foods. Children that do not like milk may want to drink a milkshake as opposed to a glass of milk. Kids that have issues eating meat will often eat meat if it is in a less recognizable form such as chicken nuggets. Parents should keep an eye out for children that have an aversion to dairy or wheat products as this aversion could be a result of a food allergy.

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: , ,

Tips for Delaing With Children That Are Picky Eaters

Many parents spend a great deal of time worrying about what their children eat. This is especially true when it comes to fussy eaters. Thankfully there are a few ways to tackle the problem of a child who is picky about the food that they eat.

Firstly parents need to be realistic about the amount of food a child can consume at each sitting. A child has a much smaller stomach than an adult so their meal sizes will be a lot smaller. Also children tend to graze on food throughout the day so it may be best to feed them frequent snacks as opposed to three full meals.

Parents should vary the textures, garnishing and flavors of the food that they provide their children. This should keep them interested in trying new foods.

Children like to feel as though they are grown-up. One way to get them to feel this way is to include them in the meal planning and cooking process. Parents can ask their children what foods they like to eat and find a healthy middle ground. While it is good to encourage children to be part of the meal process it should be in a safe environment. Children should be closely supervised at all times in the kitchen.

As parents often feel under appreciated when their children turn down the food they spent hours making they may want to use simple and timely cooking methods. This will save them time, money and effort if the child does not want to eat the food that they prepared.

Lastly it is important that children get a lot of social interaction. This will ensure that they are exposed to different types of children. Ideally the practices of children with good eating habits will rub off.

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: , , ,

How to Encourage Children to Start Eating Healthy Foods

Parents, teachers and other adults are responsible for teaching children about good eating habits and the benefits of regular exercise. There are a number of ways that adults can encourage children to make wise choices with their food.

Firstly both adults and children need to know why it is important for children to eat healthful foods. Children need essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients in their daily diets. These three things will ensure that a child will have healthy growth patterns and bones.

Aside from the benefits of vitamins, minerals and nutrients more and more parents are concerned with keeping their children at a healthy weight. Some parents will have to deal with children who are underweight however most parents will be combating childhood obesity. More and more children are overweight today due to sedentary lifestyles and the availability of processed junk foods. Being underweight or overweight can lead to a number of health problems.

The best way that adults can encourage children to eat healthy foods is to educate them. Children are intelligent and want to know why they should do certain things and not do others. Parents should explain the benefits of healthy eating to children on a level that they are able to grasp. Once they have done this they can start to involve children in the meal planning process. By allowing children to pick healthy foods that they like parents will ensure that the child enjoys their food and does not feel they have been forced to eat something they do not want to. It is important that unhealthy food is not completely outlawed. This is because children tend to desire things that are forbidden. Also as they grow up they will be surrounded by unhealthy food. Because of this it is important that children learn the value of moderation at an early age.

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: , , ,

How to Make Sure That Children Eat Healthy Nutritious Meals

Most parents know that it is difficult to please everybody who is sitting at the dinner table. Some children are very fussy eaters and this means that parents may have a difficult time trying to get them to eat healthy foods.

Smaller children turn down food for a variety of reasons. Some smaller kids will even refuse to try new foods because they do not like the color, texture, appearance or smell of the new food. This can lead to dinner time becoming a battle of the wills between parent and child.

Kids tend to dislike vegetables. This is because they do not offer the same flavors and textures as fast foods and sweets. However children must eat vegetables regardless of how they feel about the taste of them. This is because vegetables provide children with essential nutrients, protein and vitamins. However a child will simply refuse to eat foods they do not like regardless of the benefits that particular food can provide them. Thankfully there are a few creative ways that parents can get vegetables into the diets of their children.

Fruits are generally more well received by children so many parents like to serve their children fruit smoothies. Other parents like to blend vegetables and add them to the meal without the child knowing anything about it. While sneaking fruits and vegetables into food will work when the child is younger it will not work when they grow up. This is why it is important to teach children about nutrition from an early age.

Parents need to teach their children what foods are the right fuel for their bodies. Children should understand why they need to eat healthy food. They will then be able to make the right choices for themselves when their parents are not there to help them.

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: , , ,
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