Regardless of our personal political views, I think we can agree that a government initiative, such as Let’s Move!, that focuses on getting, and keeping, America’s children healthy is important. I’m not suggesting that we count calories for our babies and toddlers or take out the measuring cups to enact portion control. But, I do believe that we should expose our kids to lots of fruits and vegetables from the very beginning so they grow up with a taste for these healthy foods. And, given that the latest data reports that 17% of America’s children are considered “obese,” I don’t think this is a problem we can ignore. Now, I’m not trying to go all Whitney on you, but “the children [really] are our future.” Why wouldn’t we “teach them well” because one day they truly are going to “lead the way?” As you can tell, I’ve been doing some research on this subject.
Here’s a short list of some of the tips I’ve found that I try to keep in mind as I’m cooking and feeding Eliana and our family:
- – Mix vegetables into dishes
- – Save “treats” for special occasions
- – Reduce the number of snacks per day
- – Eat together as a family
And here is a link to more tips for keeping our families healthy. Whether I’m preparing Eliana’s meals at home or when we eat out at a restaurant, I do try to keep a tally in my head of how many fruits or vegetables she has had each day, with the goal being at least 5 per day. But, keeping a kitchen full of fresh fruits and vegetables can be expensive.
Here are some tips that I’ve been using to help keep produce costs down:
- – Shop for seasonal fruits and vegetables
- – Buy small quantities more often as opposed to larger quantities less frequently
- – Use over-ripe fruit for smoothies and baking
- – Plant your own garden (I WILL have a better green thumb next summer! Learn about my gardening “skills” here.)
And here is a link with more ideas on how to keep produce costs down.
If these tips and suggestions are overwhelming to you, then I suggest you start small. Incorporate one or two tips into your routine at a time. I didn’t begin doing all of this in one day and I’m still working on some of the recommendations myself. For example, I haven’t always shopped for seasonal produce but it’s something I’ve been working on the last several months.
Live and learn, right?
