Developing Healthy Habits in Kids (and Grandchildren)
One of the most common concerns I hear from both parents and grandparents is how to instill good eating habits, a healthy body image, and prevent the likelihood of obesity in their kids/grandkids. Family is the primary influencer of your children until the teen years when peer influence gains a strong foothold. But there's a lot you can do to help guide kids to a healthy view of food and their bodies. Here are just a few suggestions to contemplate:
- Provide a healthy breakfast daily. Breakfast eaters do better in school and tend to weigh less than breakfast skippers.
- Offer fruits and vegetables for snacks and at each meal: aim for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily
- Adults provide the food but children get to decide how much to eat--forget the "clean the plate" mentality
- Use smaller plates and bowls. In a recent study researchers found that when given large, adult-size dinner plates and bowls, 1st graders served themselves larger portions of food and consumed almost 50% of the extra calories they put on their plates. Similar over-eating is seen in adults when they use larger plates and bowls.
- Avoid using food as a reward or withholding it as a punishment.
- Limit screen time to no more than 2 hrs a day. Pay special attention to TV which promotes snacking in tandem with sedentary behavior.
- Encourage physical activity--ideally 1 hour or more daily (it doesn't have to be done all at one time).
- Enforce a reasonable bed time. Recent research suggests increasing the average sleep time from 7.5 hrs to the recommended 10 hours would decrease the number of overweight and obese children.
- Ask family members and friends to refrain from "negative" comments about anyone's weight, dislike of their bodies, "fat" talk, etc.
- When the subject of body image arises, remind your child that people come in all shapes and sizes and we also change as we grow. Emphasize your child's unique talents and abilities beyond their "good looks."
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Loving Those Spring Veggies
In anticipation of the spring veggies that will soon be coming to market, our local newspaper has been featuring recipes from new vegetarian cookbooks. These recipes make eating plant-based meals more enticing!
From Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison:
Snow Peas with Sesame Oil, Tarragon, and Toasted Sesame Seeds
- 8 oz snow peas, preferably large, firm ones
- sea salt
- scant 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
- 1 heaping tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tbsp. white and/or black sesame seeds, toasted in a dry skillet
- String the snow peas. Pour water into a skillet or saucepan that will comfortably accomodate the peas and bring to a boil. Add a couple pinches of sea salt.
- Add the peas and simmer until bright green, about 2 minutes. Drain and blot dry with a towel.
- Toss with the oil, tarragon, and sesame seeds.
- Serves 4
Roasted Asparagus with Chopped Egg, Torn Bread, and Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 lb fat asparagus
- 3 tbsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- 1 piece ciabatta bread
- 1 tsp. coarse mustard
- 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 hard cooked egg
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Peel asparagus stalks and cut off tough stem ends.
- Toss spears with the 1 tsp. of oil, season with salt and pepper, and lay in single layer in a shallow dish.
- Roast them, turning once every 10 minutes, until tender and colored in some places, 20-30 minutes.
- Crisp the bread in the oven or a toaster.
- Combine the mustard, vinegar, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a bowl. Whisk in the 3 tbsp. oil.
- Chop the white and yolk of the egg.
- Lay the asparagus on a platter. Cover with the chopped egg. Tear the bread into small rough pieces and scatter over the egg. Spoon the mustard dressing over all and finish with freshly ground salt and pepper.
- Serves 2
From A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop:
Radish and White Bean Salad
- 2-3 bunches radishes (about 1 lb), trimmed and thinly sliced
- 2 (15-oz) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- 1 tbsp. capers, drained
- 2 tbsp. freshly minced mint or parsley
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
- salt
- 8 cups mixed baby greens
- In a medium bowl, stir together the first 6 ingredients.
- Drizzle olive oil and orange juice over salad and toss.
- Season with salt to taste. At this point it can be set aside for an hour or so.
- Divide greens among 4 large plates. Spoon some of the radish salad over each portion and serve.
- Serves 4.
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