September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. It is a great time to focus on our kids, what they eat and how they can be active in order to live the healthiest life they can. All children should and can be included.
Preparing more meals at home is a great family activity. It is also cheaper and healthier for your family. When you prepare meals at home you can control the amount of salt, sugar and fat added because of the recipes you choose as well as the way you choose to prepare your food.
Sometimes thinking about meals, especially with young children in mind, can seem overwhelming. Being a mom of three kids, I have developed a variety of helpful tips a long the way. A little patience and pre-organizing makes a big difference in the outcome of everyone’s experience in preparing meals together.
Involving your kids in meal choosing and preparation can actually make mealtime more pleasant and fun. Children, regardless of their age can contribute. There is no reason you should be fixing a meal all by yourself…at least not everyday! It is also a great way to help your children learn about different foods, what goes into making a balanced meal and how to help out. When your kids are part of meal making they are going to have a “pride of authorship” about the meal and are more likely to try out new foods and new combinations of foods. Involving your children in food preparation successfully does require some pre-organizing, however. Here are eight tips that can help:
1. Plan ahead. Thinking about the week ahead and the meals you will prepare helps save you time and money in the long run. By organizing ahead of time you can make sure there are meals your kids will like and can help prepare. You can all shop ahead so you know all the ingredients you need are in your kitchen ready to use.
2. Pick recipes with only a few ingredients (6-10 is ideal) and that are easy to find at the grocery store. As you and your kids get more comfortable with cooking you can add more complexity. Check out the directions too; make sure they are not complicated to follow since you want the experience to be fun and non-stressful.
3. Choose 2 or 3 recipes you think are kid-friendly and that you like, then have your kids choose which one they want to help make. This is a great first step for getting them engaged.
4. Take your kids to the grocery store with you. Let them help pick out the ingredients for the recipe they chose. Make it like a treasure hunt.
5. Involve your children in preparing the food. The experts say our children are more likely to try new foods, eat healthier and enjoy variety if they participate in food preparation. Levels of involvement will vary depending on their age. The youngest can wash vegetables or mix ingredients in a bowl. Older children can be put in charge of an entire recipe where you support with feedback and sourcing ingredients.
6. Avoid snacking too close to your meal. It is better to be hungry at mealtime. Everyone will enjoy his or her food more. When you are hungry all your senses are heightened so you smell more, taste more, see colors more. Ideally snacks should be eaten two or more hours before meals.
7. Make sure to sit at a table for your meals. Let your children help set the table. It is part of making a healthy meal.
8. Enjoy your meal. Make it a positive experience. Talk about how fun it was to cook together. Have fun savoring the meal. Your children will mirror your behavior.
More and more studies show eating at home, having your children participating in meal preparation and sitting round a table for dinner makes a significant difference in what your children eat and their ability to embrace a healthy lifestyle long term. It is as much about the experience as it is about the food you choose to serve.
For kid-friendly recipe ideas go to my blog and check out the Sammie and Sax recipes on the LivligaHome.com website.
Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!
