How to get your kids to eat healthily

June 14, 2021

By Helen Burgess of Little Cooks Co

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Knowing how to feed yourself is one of the most important skills in life. It is just as important as being able to read, write and speak – we cannot stay alive without food!

Our busy modern life has developed many solutions to feed ourselves without having to cook – fast food, takeaway, ready meals – but there are problems with relying on them too much. First, it’s daunting – if kids never learn to cook, they have no choice but to rely on it, and second, they are very rarely as healthy as a homemade meal! When you’re preparing a meal, you know what’s inside and you don’t have to worry about the long list of often incomprehensible ingredients on the back of packs!

This is my passion. I want to help children by teaching them to feed themselves in ways that promote, not hinder, their health. Understand where food comes from, how to cook with it, and why it is important to your health. If today’s children understand these things, then I believe that the number of chronic diseases we see today will drop dramatically – obesity, type 2 diabetes, tooth decay, even mental health problems.

But there are many other reasons why cooking with children is a good thing.

· This is where memories are created – Cooking together in the kitchen is something magical – that’s why for many of us the first and happiest memories are of the time we helped out in the kitchen. It is when lifelong memories are awakened, and often when children feel free and safe to talk more openly about their lives and feelings

It helps against picky food – Children who cook eat more vegetables! It creates a sense of ownership which means kids are more likely to try what they cooked (what’s more fun than eating your own art project?)

It helps to develop a sense of responsibility and performance – Children live from feeling perfect. Cooking is a great way to build self-esteem and teach responsibility. There is nothing like watching children proudly serve their food to others.

It develops a wide range of skills – Science, language, counting, fractions, budgeting, weighing, sequencing, measuring, problem solving, sharing, patience, fine motor skills, reading …

It teaches them about food and where it comes from – The more educated children are about food, the more likely they are to make good decisions. Both in terms of the food they eat and where their food comes from

It’s healthier and more nutritious – Meals made from scratch have more nutrients and less gross than prepackaged foods and restaurant meals, and you can control the quality of the ingredients

It develops creativity – It’s pretty amazing for a kid to be part of an experience that turns a few separate and distinct ingredients into a delicious whole!

· Eating together – When a child cooks a recipe, it’s usually enjoyed together as a family, and that creates magical moments for the family bond

source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/how-to-get-your-kids-to-eat-healthily/