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Healthy Young Chefs

Here’s a scary fact: a quarter of our children are overweight or obese.

At the start of the year we have lots of good intentions about eating better and exercising more, but the reality is that most of us don’t manage to stick with our resolutions at all. Oops! So how can we develop positive food behaviours, not only for our kids but the whole family?

Research shows that healthy habits are formed early on in life and through observing role models. So show the kids what to do, get their ideas flowing and have fun with food together.

Summer is the best season in our opinion … sorry winter! We have an abundance of summer fruits and veggies, berries, watermelon, beans, colourful beetroot, sweet crunchy snow peas and so much more readily available. It’s a great time to refocus your health goals and help your kids develop a healthy relationship with food because there are so many delicious things available!

First things first, practice what you preach! Kids learn through observation and follow what they see so make your actions count and you AND your kids will benefit.
Help the kids cut up and arrange these beautiful summer foods into interesting and colourful displays – try making funny faces or arrange the fruit into the shape of their favourite animal.
Involve kids in meal preparation - when kids prepare fruit and veggies they learn life-long skills and it becomes a natural part of their food experience. Try this Quick & Easy Classic Vegetarian Tacos Recipe, which will give them great practice at chopping (under supervision of course!) PLUS - 4 serves of veg per serving – Winner!
Avoid using food as a reward or bribe - use an activity or trip to the park as an alternative.
For a sweet treat show the kids how to make an apple crumble with a topping of crushed Nature Valley Crunchy Bars and a smidge of butter. Or core apples, pack the centre with dried fruit and bake in the oven.
Serving suggestion: add a dollop of plain yoghurt, ricotta or some low-fat ice-cream. Delicious!
Baking is a great way to teach kids about measures and volume. Teach them to measure ingredients, set the oven to the correct temperature and encourage creativity by decorating a cake! Our Cookie Pops Recipe is sure to get their creative juices flowing!
Avoid negative language around less healthy foods – it’s not the type of food that may be bad but the amount usually eaten. So try and use words like ‘sometimes foods’, or ‘occasional foods’ – and keep portions small.