7 Uncommon Natural Food Ideas to Better Grandkids’ Nutrition

Being a grandparent is a wonderful thing. Seeing your own children grow and bring a child of their own into the world is amazing; you see your family grow and your legacy live. Along with seeing them grow, you have the ability to help teach your grandchildren how to participate in green living and eating healthier. Being a grandparent gives you the perfect opportunity to help your grandkids eat better, because they will listen to you better than they will ever listen to their parents.

So how do you make sure your grandkids are green kids, eating healthy and not becoming a US statistic of childhood obesity? There is no sound way. Taking away snack packs will just make them want them more. Kids are the same as adults and any diet where we think we are being denied a food makes us crave it.

Instead of taking away the snack pack, think of adding something just as delicious to your grandkids diet. Adding healthy and organic food will help guide them to green living. Here are some not so common rules to help your grandkid’s nutrition.

Rule #1: Never skip breakfast. Ever!

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. It’s hard for parents to enforce a good breakfast in hectic mornings, so it’s up to the grandparents to ensure a healthy breakfast when the grandkids come to visit! People who skip breakfast are actually more likely to follow fad diets, exercise less, take up smoking or drinking, and/or complain about body weight. Eating breakfast gives you the energy you need for the day. Breakfast foods also tend to have fiber, calcium, and other micro nutrients that most people don’t get in the right amounts they need. Eating breakfast also stimulates something in our brain that makes us consume less soda and French fries, and eat more fruits, veggies and milk.

Of course there are bad breakfast foods (Reese’s Puffs cereal, donuts, scones, breakfast sandwiches, breakfast from any fast food restaurant, and even bagels with cream cheese have loaded calories and extra fat), but kids who eat breakfast are actually 30% less likely to be overweight or obese.

Rule #2: Snack with Purpose

Snacking is not bad. In fact, it is actually good for your metabolism to eat healthy snacks in between small meals throughout the day. When giving snacks to your children, make sure they have a purpose. We all know an occasional cookie is bound to happen, but choosing foods at strategic times of the day can keep your child’s metabolic rate high which gives them the good kind of energy.

Some good snacking with a purpose ideas include popcorn, unsalted nuts, dark chocolate, and of course, fruits and veggies. The point is not to deny them the snack foods they want to munch on, but in making sure what they munch on is healthy for them.

Rule #3: Beware of Portion Distortion

Portions have increased dramatically in the US in the past few decades. Larger portions mean more calories, and more calories usually mean more fat. However, taking away food and leaving empty space in plates and bowls will mentally keep your grandkids wanting more. Try buying smaller bowls, plates and cups to make it seem like you’re still getting the same amount.

Rule #4: Drink Responsibly

Watching what you eat is a no brainer for older individuals, but watching what you drink? Not so well known a concept. Even green kids have a tendency to reach for the Sunny D juices that are packed with unnecessary sugars. To prevent this, try the following:

* Always keep a cold, filtered water pitcher in the fridge
* Keep milk in an easy-to-reach area of the fridge and serve it at as many meals as you can
* Drink healthy yourself – kids learn by example

Rule #5: Eat More Whole Foods

A fantastic mantra at the grocery store is “the shorter the ingredient list, the healthier the food”. Sodium and saturated fats are staples of processed and packaged foods. Whole foods can taste just the same as some regular foods, and if the kids don’t see the packaging, they won’t even be able to tell the difference! This is not only a good idea for green living for kids, but for you as well. Incorporating organic food into your diet keeps out unnatural ingredients that are bad for your body.

Rule #6: Set the Table

It sounds odd, but kids who experience more structured eating times develop better eating habits. With soccer practice, ballet, day-trips, going to see the school play, and helping out your children think of Halloween costumes, this idea seems more like a dream that died in the mid 90s.

However, there are ways of adding just enough structure to make an impact on green kid’s nutrition. Make one night a week a sit down dinner night; no social plans allowed! If you live far away, just try to make sure whenever you do see your grandkids to incorporate a sit down dinner. Also try to include the kids in the cooking process. Studies show kids who are encouraged to eat more fruits and veggies by giving them goals and allowing them to help in preparation eat healthier.

Rule #7: Kick the Sugar Habit

We’ve all heard it before; high-fructose corn syrup is bad for us. No new information there. However, what may be news to most of us is that bread, snacks, ketchup, almost everything we eat has corn syrup in it. The actual intake of a little HFCS is not bad, what is scary is that it is turning up in everything we eat, and therefore adding empty calories to what we eat.

To totally avoid HFCS, a family would have to completely stop eating packaged foods. Whereas families trying to live green do eat less packaged food, cutting it out completely from a child’s diet is unlikely. Instead, become an avid reader of nutrition labels and stay away from foods with any form of sugar on top of the ingredient list.

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