But there are certain foods that are better for us, right? Shouldn’t we be helping kids to understand and make good food choices?
Published December 4, 2023
We all want the kids in our lives to lead happy and healthy lives. Not talking to the kids in your life about food in oversimplified terms doesn’t mean that you can’t help them to form habits that will protect their physical and mental well-being for years to come.
It’s true that certain foods provide more nutritional value to our bodies than others. And it is important to help kids understand that what we eat has a significant impact on things like our energy levels. However, we can teach kids this by focusing on things like how certain foods make our bodies feel, our ability to focus, our energy levels, or our sleep. You can learn more here.
It’s also important to help emphasize balance instead of restriction. While whole, fresh foods are vital to nutrition, food is also fundamental to family/community gatherings and celebrations. In addition, like it or not, we live in a busy world whereby our best efforts at nutrition sometimes look a little more like processed food than we’d choose in an ideal world.
All we can do is our best and remember it’s okay! Some days or sets of days will be “strong nutrition days,” and others will be…not so strong.
Again, it’s about balance and doing the best we can to honor our body and spirit. Along the way, engage the kids in your life in reflecting on how certain foods make them feel. Talk to them about what vitamins and minerals specific foods provide to support their growing bodies or share with them how their bodies work (and how it is their job to take care of their own unique, special body).
Looking for more practical tips and information on how to focus on health and well-being with your kids? Check out our free Learn What to Say video.
Additional Resources on Diet Talk:
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