Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Food For The Next Generation

While trying to get all of my pictures and what not together to formulate a post this morning, I was watching a rerun of the Rachael Ray Talk Show. I love this show, normally. Not so much for the food, more of the guests she has on, the tidbits of info she gives on household care, clothing, style, etc. I find that it tends to be pretty down to earth. Why am I saying all this? Well because I want you to know that it's not just that I have a hatred toward Rachael or her show. I don't.

Anyway, back to the point, today she was taking audience questions, and someone asked about how to feed her kids healthy things. This is a pretty frequent question on this show and she often comes out with tips or tricks...but today she said something about hiding and lying are okay when it comes to feeding your kids healthy things. Let me just tell you how much that BUGS ME. She referenced Jessica Seinfeld who wrote the book "Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food". I haven't read the book, but I saw the segment on the show and just am not a fan of this idea of how to feed your children. Here's why:

The thing is, this idea of "hiding" veggies in your children's food just doesn't sit right with me. Why do you have to "deceive" them into eating something good for them? So they eat the pasta and sauce that you loaded with veggies and hid and like it, so then what happens? Do you tell them "haha you ate veggies and liked it!" and expect that suddenly they will be all about zucchini because they ate it? No! When has that ever worked? It won't change their views on healthy eating, so your choice left is to just continue to hide veggies in more and more things. So then you get a child that yes, is eating veggies, but isn't liking them, isn't learning to make healthy choices, and could have unhealthy views on eating and food and what they should be consuming.

Now, don't get me wrong, I totally think putting veggies in your pasta sauce is great! Heck, around here, I put veggies in our meatballs, hamburger patties, lasagna, enchiladas, what have you. But I don't like the "hiding" it. If they ask, tell them. And don't try to make it seem like it's a huge secret. Kids have to learn that they need to eat healthy choices like veggies and fruits. And that they aren't gross! Will this always work? NO! Kids go through stages where it won't eat anything but those 5 items they want, and then yea your hands are tied. But I think it's important to not deceive them from day 1. So here's how I think it should work:

  • Start your baby out with whole, healthy foods early. And tell them what it is. As they get a little older, let them try things, even if you don't think they will like them. Don't feel like everything has to be super bland. Don't feed them super spice, but if something has a bit of a seasoning, that's okay! Oh and make sure when you are feeding your baby something, you don't say "well you probably won't like it!" or make  a negative face. They pick up from you. You are telling them they aren't going to like it, so why would they? Be positive! Say Yum! Encourage.
  • Make veggies taste good. I mean, let's be honest, steamed Brussels Sprouts that are squishy, stinky, mushy. No thanks! But roasted? Delish and crunchy! There's this whole idea that veggies just aren't yummy, and I think that people just need to find ways to make them so they ARE yummy. 
  • Realize that you and your kids just aren't going to like certain foods, and that's okay. Think, there are at least a few food items you just don't like, no matter what. No matter how they are prepared, what they are in, etc. For my husband, it's eggplant and mushrooms. He just will not eat them.
  • Get your kids involved in the process. This is something Rachael Ray DOES talk about and support. Let your kids pick a veggie at the store, have them help you find a recipe, go to the farmer's market with them, let them try things. Kids are more likely to want to eat something if they got to help prepare it. There's a level of pride there. 
  • Don't hide veggies in things like brownies. I've seen this done and it's so counter intuitive to me. If you do that and then still only allow them 1 brownie? Okay fine, I still am not into it, but it's tolerable. But don't then let them have 6 because they aren't as bad. This is where that "deception" can lead to bigger problems.
  • Don't get in the habit of making 2 dinners. I have seen this in SO MANY FAMILIES I have worked with. The kids get one thing, parents get something else because they think or know the kids won't eat what they are eating. Don't get into that habit. It's an ugly cycle. You don't have to change your diet completely to fit your child, so get your child started early on fitting what your tastes are. Modify small things if necessary...like if you want something spicy, cut it back for you child, then add more to yours. 
I'm not saying that this is the only way. I realize that there are going to be 165 people who read this and go, you are so wrong it's not even funny! But, I will say that I have seen this work, if you start early. Yea if you have fed your kid hot dogs and mac and cheese until they are 8 and then expect that tonight you will put broccoli on their plate and they will devour it, good luck. But if you start early, you can really create a healthy lifestyle and mind set early on.

 I'm sure I sound like a broken record with the "start early" but it really does make a huge difference. You want to create a mindset that healthy does not equal bad, and that moderation is a great method for the not so great for you foods. We have to show children how to make healthy choices, by eating veggies in front of them, encouraging them to try things, and getting them involved. Deception, in my opinion, isn't the way to go.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Why are you here?

I've kind of been drawing a blank lately as far as blogging goes. I feel like I have things I want to talk about, but don't for one reason or another, and then things that I could talk about, but won't be as interesting. I haven't tried many new recipes lately, and the ones I have tried, I've forgotten to take pictures of so I don't have any sort of photos to go with it. Blogging blah!

This whole lack of things to talk about made me wonder why I even blog or write here. Sure, there are people who come check in, but it's not like I have thousands of followers or anything. I wondered who looked in on my life and came back again? Who found what I had to say interesting? Do people really come here regularly? I checked my "stats" and it appears some people do, although you wouldn't know that from the outside, I don't think.

So why am I here? I guess in short, to get stuff out, to help people, to inspire people, maybe to keep a housewife entertained now and then. And I'm here for myself and my husband, so we can document what we do and see hard evidence that are lives aren't TOTALLY boring...or maybe they are. So clients can see some product reviews in one nice place and maybe even get some inspiration on how to feed their families. For friends to keep up with the small stuff going on. And on the other side of it, for me to get perspective from readers...what do you think of that recipe? What did I say that was just plain stupid and why? I had hopes that it would become a place that people in real life, and in internet life could come to and check in....see what's going down on this side of the world...granted lately not a whole lot has. And in some ways, I think it has, in that people do come through, people do try the recipes, people do think we have good points now and then.

But anyway, that was ramble-y and silly, but it's why I'm here. Maybe soon more will happen around here to give it some "meat" until then, you'll just have to hold on.