Children's Food Activities
Create a foundation for healthy eating by including food activities in your child's daily routine. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, good nutrition and the foods you cook impact children's health. As a result of poor eating habits and lack of physical activity, nearly one in three children in America is overweight or obese. Obesity is preventable and food activities can teach children how to choose healthy eating options.
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Obesity
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Obesity is the result of consuming more calories than are expended. Childhood obesity has tripled in the past thirty years and obese children are at risk for a variety of health problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes, which can persist into adulthood. In addition, they may suffer from bone and joint problems, poor self-esteem and stigmatization. Food activities that teach children healthy nutritional habits can decrease the risk of developing diseases associated with obesity.
Nutrition
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As children move from childhood to puberty, proper nutrition is important for healthy growth. Parents should make an effort to ensure that children eat a well-balanced diet that consists of a variety of foods from the five major food groups. For instance, children should have three to five servings of vegetables, two to four servings of fruit, six to 11 servings of bread, cereal or pasta, two to three servings of protein and two to three servings of dairy products. The Interactive Food Pyramid is an activity that can help children learn about the basic food groups and determine which foods they like from each group.
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Activities
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Children can grow their own personal gardens. Children's food activities can teach them about the importance of nutrition and how to prepare healthy meals. For example, one way to teach your child about healthy food choices is to cook with them. Cooking with your kids not only helps them to identify nutritious food, but it also provides an opportunity for them to experiment with foods they are reluctant to eat. When cooking for the family, allow children to help plan, prepare and serve meals. Taking children to the grocery store is also an activity that provides an opportunity to explain smart food choices and you can teach older children how to read food labels. In order to familiarize kids with a variety of vegetables, let them help in your home garden or a community garden.
Tips
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Remember that you are a role model in helping your child to learn healthy eating habits. When grocery shopping, make a list of the items that you need and shop along the outer perimeter of the store where the healthiest foods are located. Foods higher in calories are located down the aisles and should be consumed with moderation. Healthy eating is important for the entire family and eating together is another activity that increases the likelihood that children will eat nutritious foods.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit vegetable set image by Alexander Kataytsev from Fotolia.com playing children image by Marzanna Syncerz from Fotolia.com
