It’s totally empowering once you decide as a parent to raise your children on real food. You know that everything you put into their developing, growing little bodies is full of nutrition. While children are growing, they look to you for direction and often do as you do, it’s so important to lead by example.
As a parent you create the environment and the beliefs for your child. In the first 6 years your children are like sponges, they take in everything from you. What they learn in the first 6 years will shape a lot of their reactions for the future. Setting a great home environment with real and whole foods is a fantastic start.
It can be easier at home as your kids are eating everything you make and prepare for them although it can get tricky in the outside world as children are enticed with so many bright colours of packaged food and are going to be playing with other children that might come from families with different nutritional beliefs. You are the one making the decisions for your baby, your children and your family.
Here are 10 tips to raising super healthy kids
1. Stay strong in your beliefs.
2. Keep only healthy food in the house. Self-control is very hard when you are only beginning your journey to healthy whole foods. If the temptation is there you will most likely eat it and then your children will see that and want some too.
3. Get the whole family involved! It can be hard when one parent wants to hit the health road and the other is not that interested. It can be disheartening to be so excited and feeling great from eating good food and then your partner comes home with a pizza and beer. Get them to think of a yummy meal they love and create a healthy version without compromising the taste so they can experience how great good food can be. It’s so simple.
4. Make yummy real food. Don’t just eat carrot sticks all day, there are so many amazing recipes full of flavor out there. Click here to view some.
5. Eat what your children are eating. Dont have adults food and kids food. Your children will always want to eat what you eat so eat healthy yourself and they will follow.
6. Don’t worry about offending anyone. If you don’t want your child to have a piece of cake at a party, don’t make a scene. Just make sure you pack an alternative so your child doesn’t feel like they’re missing out.
7. Pack snacks. Any time you are heading out, visiting a friend, or meeting for a play date pack lots of snacks. Be ready for when your child is hungry and goes to snatch something you are not comfortable with them eating out of another child’s hand. Bananas and Powerball’s work great in our house.
8. Always take a plate. If you’re invited to someone’s house or to a party take something along. Bring something you have made that you know everyone will enjoy! You may even convert a few people when they taste your homemade deliciousness.
9. Make people aware of what you allow your child to eat and what’s not on the menu. If your children are young, you may prefer if people ask you before they give your child any food. People don’t know exactly what dietary guidelines you have made for your family so just make them aware nicely.
10. Enjoy being a super healthy parent and be so proud for doing what you feel is best for your growing children!
What tips do you have for keeping it real? Share your comments below!
Cassandra Michelin is a Personal Development, Health and Physical Education teacher, Dance Teacher, naturopathic nutrition student, keen cook and a mum! As well as being a total foodie and nutrition nerd, She is the creator of the health and wellness website; Choose life, live it, do it! Via her posts, Cass’s goal is to empower people to take control of their health and parents to be inspired to raise their own Super natural kids through simple delicious real foods and toxic free living.
