Food Psychology for Kids

I've been super-slacker mom lately in the food department, as far as going to great lengths to ensure they get their 5 a day. But, now our kids are 2 and 5, and they'll eat just about anything. I am no longer even finding the time for the sneak-in, but I find that if I put some fresh asparagus (they call it green beans) or broccoli doused with a little butter (yes, real butter, if you even let your kids near margarine I swear I'll call S.C.A.N.), they'll eat it, at least a little. I rely on canned organic green beans and peas for other green stuff, and lots of fresh fruit and berries, especially in the summer. As for protein, they'll eat salmon and tilpia, Quorn veggie nuggets, and the occasional good ole Tyson dyno-bite is even thrown in. Lots of avocado. Canned beans and blackeye peas, those are good.

So basically, I don't have to try as hard anymore, or sneak, and I'm lucky that they'll eat these things and not wince. I think the key is starting them off early with fresh food and they'll sot of develop a taste for it. Both of my kids started out, after their whole grain rice cereal, eating bananas and avocados in place of jarred sugary foods, and they still eat them. Not to say they don't have a sweet tooth, especially my 5 year-old, who has a major penchant for birthday cake and suckers. What kid doesn't, right?

As long as parents make them aware, then they might end up as conscious eaters way earlier than we did. For instance, my girl had a cavity at her last visit, and on her own made her decision to limit her sugary food because of it. When I was a kid, I made no connection between food and my body, and I adore my Momma, but she had a hard time saying no to my request for a Twix, a Summit AND a Coke after school. I wondered why I felt like crap at such a young age...Oddly, though, I didn't have a cavity until my 20s. Am I 300 pounds now after a childhood of Big Macs and Twixes? you might ask. Well, no to that, also, but after two kids and gaining 50 pounds with each, I have to work twice as hard as the next chick.

The last thing I want for my children is an eating disorder. I don't drill into their heads the concept of food making you gain weight; it's more the "You are what you eat" philosophy. You eat good stuff most of the time, and you can have a little "junky stuff." At this point, I don't even consider weight, and use butter or cheese in their food as much as I want. Whole milk, not a problem. Luckily, they got their daddy's body traits and starting off as well as they are, will probably never have to deal with weight issues. Unless they go the other way out of rebellion. Which I know is a possibility.

Eat Good!
~R