“How do you get your kids to eat healthy?”
I’ve been asked this question many times over the last few years and more so recently.
Why I Want Kids to Eat Healthy
Let me start off with, it wasn’t always this way. Although I have been interested in healthy eating for most of my adult life getting my husband and kids on board has been a long, slow but very rewarding journey.
Sure, there were times when I felt like I was doing everything wrong and I wanted to give up because my kids wouldn’t even try the meal that I slaved over for the last hour after a long day at work.
But let me go back a little and give you the reason that I am so passionate about getting kids to eat healthy.
How It All Began
I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in 2012 and that’s when I really began to understand the influence that food has on the body. Instead of following the conventional medicine route, (which I tried for three weeks and consisted of injecting myself with methotrexate, a powerful drug that dramatically taxes the liver) I opted to educate myself and learn why I had RA and what I could do about it. You can learn more about my diagnosis here.
This was a pivotal shift for our family. Both Brad and I, essentially went back to school and began studying, researching and learning as much as we could about the body and its relationship with food, nature, sleep, stress, etc. We actually did go back to school and became certified health practitioners.
Through this education, I learned about epigenetics and our ability to turn on and off genes that we were born with. This fuelled me to continue focussing on good, whole, well-sourced foods for our family because there is no way I want my girls to develop an autoimmune disease in their life.
Don’t Get Me Wrong
We do eat frozen pizza (gluten-free, mind you) and chips and some “healthier” processed crackers and cookies here and there but I strive for eighty percent real, whole foods, at least and twenty percent not-so-whole foods but certainly not junk food.
Getting Kids to Eat Healthy is Worth the Hard Work
I am the one who provides the food for our family, so I decided that if I was going to adopt a healthier way of living, one to heal and support my body, my whole family would too.
Yes, it takes work. Yes, it takes time. But it is worth it and it has brought us together in so many other ways.
As my knowledge grew, I became more connected with my body and how I reacted to the foods that I was eating, I was able to put my RA into remission.
This gave me the drive to want to help others and especially my kids. The power of food became a passion and I was determined to make sure my girls would be given the best support for their growing brains and bodies.
We Want the Best For Our Kids
It’s funny because as parents, we strive to give our kids the best start to life. That may be sending them to a private school, buying or renting a house in a good school zone, enrolling them in extracurricular activities, getting them trendy clothes, taking them on trips, etc. But one area that we tend to fall short on is providing our children with the nutrients to support their continual growth.
Also, as the mother of two girls, I was terrified and appalled to read about the causes of the ever-increasing early onset of puberty for girls. When I realized that xenoestrogens were in many processed food products and that soy was a major contributor, it just confirmed my reasons to focus on eating healthy. You can read more about the onset of early puberty in this article by Dr. Mercola.
Are They Really Fine?
We live in a lazy society when it comes to food. The convenience of processed and prepared foods has created a big disconnect between ourselves and our food. This translates into a disconnection with animals, plants and the Earth in general.
Many people do not cook in their home and don’t think twice about what they put into their mouths. Picking up or eating out is a common family practice. I understand that it is easier and that sometimes you are just too tired or too busy to deal with fussy eaters but we need to be to able to step out of the moment and take a look at the bigger picture of how this processed food is going to affect our children in the future.
Many people dismiss this by saying “I ate Cheez Whiz all the time growing up and I am fine.” Really, are they fine? I bet you that they have a health condition that they accept as a part of “getting older” or they have been feeling poorly for so long they have no idea of how amazing they could actually feel.
Getting your kids to eat healthy can dramatically reduce their risk of developing a health condition as they get older.
There’s been a lack of education around nutrition and cooking. And I know getting your kids to eat healthy foods can be a huge challenge for many parents.
Here are 5 Ways to Start Getting Your Kids to Eat Healthy Food:
- Be a role model. Role model. Role model.
Kids are very perceptive. They see many things that we don’t think they see. So if you are not excited and enjoying the food you have served, they won’t be either. You also need to take care of yourself and walk the talk. If you need to start slow but make sure you bring enthusiasm and joy to that meal. Get rid of your secret stash of chocolate.
2. Be patient and take baby steps.
It took years for my girls to enjoy eating brussels sprouts. Now they are one of their favorite fall foods. Change takes time. You have to leave your ego at the door and not get upset when your child says she doesn’t like it. Even after you worked so hard on a the meal. Make sure to start with foods that you like so if there are leftovers you’ll be happy to have them for lunch the next day.
3. Start replacing unhealthy foods with healthier versions.
This worked very well when we decided to stop having cereal in the house for breakfast. Cereal sucks. It doesn’t provide good healthy fats for brain and hormonal health or protein for muscle growth and development. So why start your child’s day off with a dose of fast acting carbohydrates and sugar? It took us a few months to get rid of the cereal habit. Once we finished a box, we’d go for a healthier version of it. My girls eventually decided that there were much better things to eat in the morning than sugar-free, brown rice Krispies.
4. Build together.
Yup, I’m going to say it…meal plan. If you want to avoid the 5pm meltdown in the grocery store, you have to have a game plan. But don’t take on this responsibility yourself, setting yourself up for complaints and whining. Get the whole family to help out. Take 5 minutes during a meal and get everyone to choose 1-2 meals and snacks for the week. Write it out or type it up and post it. Refer back to the meal plan when you hear “I don’t like this” and point out a meal that’s coming up that they selected. It also allows your kids to chose some of the foods that they do like.
5. Serve Yourself
I stopped making 2-3 different meals each meal time. Instead, I started putting the food out in big family-style bowls where everyone could help themselves. This allows kids to choose what they want to eat and allows you to start trying new healthier foods. What made this successful for me was making sure that there was one thing on the table that my girls like. Eventually, they would try a little of everything.
I know it sometimes feels like too much to take on. Start by implementing one or all of these tips today. As long as you start, you are on the right path. Your kids will surprise you and you’ll enjoy your lower stress level around meal times.
Again, this might be a challenge getting your kids to eat healthy. It will likely require patience and perseverance. We were able to do it despite various and different food allergies which only complicates things further. If we could do it, you can do it. I believe in your ability to succeed. Take little steps and keep your eye on the prize – kids that are fuelled to excel mentally, physically and emotionally, resilient and improved in their genetic makeup. With the power of epigenetics, lifestyle changes now can have repercussions for generations to come – let’s make these positive!
