Food means family, tradition, socialization and comfort. Changing family eating habits is a lifestyle change and can be very challenging for all ages, even us grown ups. When it comes to making healthier food choices for our families, often these changes are met with some or much resistance.
Food is one of the few things that children feel that they have control over. Seeing or tasting a new food takes that control away from the child and gives it to the parent. This is why it’s so important that the whole family gets involved in making the switch to healthier and more organic foods and less junk food.
Often times parents will say "My kid would never eat that." Is it the child or the parent that is not willing to try something new? After offering the food a few times and having the child see everyone else eating the food, the food becomes more familiar and the child becomes more willing to try it.
Studies show that is takes at least 15 times to get a child to become used to eating a new food. This goes for any age. It is never too late to invest the time and energy into helping your family eat healthier. If a child was diagnosed with a wheat allergy or diabetes, the families eating habits would have to change to accommodate that child. Any family that has children with food restrictions will say it is a challenge but it can be done. The key is making the transition together.
There was a study reported in the Archives of Family Medicine (www.archfami.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/9/3/235) that showed school-aged children (boys and girls ages 9-14) who ate dinner with their families had a higher intake of fruits, vegetables, fiber and many vitamins and minerals. They also had a lower intake of soda, fried foods and trans fats. The dinner table is the perfect place to be talking about the importance of eating healthy foods and why the family is trying more natural and organic foods.
Luckily, most organic and natural foods taste very similar if not better than the popular store brands. The change won’t happen overnight but here are some tips to get your family started, no matter what age. So the answer is, it is never too late to start improving your family’s health.
* Whenever possible, eat dinner together. We all lead busy lives, but if the family can commit to even 3-4 dinners/week together it will improve the health of the whole family.
* Let the child know why the change is being made. Explain to them that natural and organic foods are better for their bodies and will keep them healthier. Tell them that pesticides used on the food they eat can be dangerous and organic farmers do not use pesticides on their food. If your child is older, go to Web sites (ex. www.organicconsumer.com) that talk about organic foods and why it is important to make the change.
* Take your children shopping. Let them choose a few healthier foods or snacks for the family so they feel like they have some input on what’s being eaten. Make a special snack basket or bin filled with healthier snacks that the kids can pick from, they love this!
* If your child is old enough to read, show them a food label from a popular store brand snack and compare it with the natural or organic alternative.
* Don’t completely restrict. If your child has a favorite junk food, allow them to have it as a special treat once a week.
* Get other parents on board. With all the extra activities for kids, there are an abundant amount of not so healthy snacks being offered. Work together with a couple parents to come up with an acceptable snack list for parents to choose from.
*As a parent you are in charge and not your children. Make a family commitment to change what the family is eating. If a child is hungry enough, they will eventually eat.
* As the parent, you are the role model and when your children see you eat healthier and exercise, they will be soon to follow.
* Another great Web site that talks about how to make the switch to more organic foods is www.drgreene.com.
