Healthy Eating Habits Begin in Childhood

There is no question that we're facing an obesity epidemic in this country. Each year, it seems that we all get a little heavier, and while many people vow to exercise and lose weight on New Year's Day, when St. Patrick's Day comes around, most of us have forgotten our promises and we've reverted to our old ways. Adults can beat themselves up about these patterns, but they can also work to change them. By teaching their children how to eat right, no matter what time of year it might happen to be, parents can help their children to beat the cycle of obesity that seems to be claiming so many lives across the country.

Some companies work hard to produce recipes families can follow to make delicious meals at home. They do this, in part, because they provide groceries to their customers as well. Each time the clients cook at home, they're using their products and that helps them stay in business. In addition, these companies believe that eating at home is one of the best ways to help deal with childhood obesity. Because the fact is when kids order at restaurants, they tend to gravitate toward foods that are high in sugar, fat and salt. They also tend to like "grownup" portion sizes, which are often much too large for small children to eat. When kids load up on food like this, they tend to pack on the pounds, and they train their bodies to expect huge amounts of unhealthful foods at dinnertime. It's not something any parent would want for a child.

By cooking at home, parents can ensure that their children are taking in foods that are low in salt and fat. Parents can talk about these choices with their kids as they cook, describing how herbs can stand in for salt and why fatty ingredients like cheese and butter should be included only sparingly. Kids can learn all about nutrition in these lessons, and they'll have fun at the same time.

Portion control is also easier to accomplish at home. We encourage parents to serve up meals in the kitchen, and ask children to eat their meals at the table before asking for seconds. Kids don't gobble when they must go to another room to fill their plates, and parents can watch how much their kids eat, when kids must get up to get more food.