Eat healthier at home
Eat what you preach
Children imitate what they see, so when it comes to
dietary habits, you need to be doing the same things
you’re asking your kids to do, says Shelly Summar,
RD, weight management program coordinator for
Kansas City’s Children’s Mercy Hospital. Start with
these guidelines.
Eat fruits and vegetables during meals and as snacks.
Research indicates that if parents do so, children are less
fussy eaters and also gobble up more produce.
Follow the same food rules. “If you don’t let your
children feast in front of the television, neither should
you,” Summar says.
Don’t be too negative or controlling when it comes to
what your child eats. “Overweight children tend to sneak
extra food and overeat if parents are too restrictive,” she
says. “Instead, set reasonable guidelines about how many
naughty foods parents and children are allowed.”
Don’t skip breakfast. “The kids need to see that this is
a very important meal for everyone.”
Try this: Skip the drive-through and wipe the dust off
your Joy of Cooking. “Preparing more home-cooked
meals is all about planning and implementing time-
saving strategies,” says Ponichtera, a mother of two.
Take time during the weekend to create dinner menus
for the coming week, with input from all family members,
and make a detailed grocery list. This way you can get
everything you need ahead of time and in one shot.
Ponichtera also stresses the “cook once, serve twice”
trick where you purposely make double the recipe and
serve leftovers later—with different sides for variety.
When time becomes a premium, toss ingredients
for stews or chilies into a slow cooker in the morning.
“Always have a few homemade dishes that can be
easily warmed up, such as lasagna, soups, and casse-
roles, in your freezer,” adds Ponichtera. You can also
freeze food in lunch-size containers to take to work. On
days when you do have time to cook, make salads and
dressings, or bean, vegetable, and grain side dishes, so
they will be ready accompaniments for the week’s
entrées. If possible, get your kids to help. “Involving
children in the meal prep not only saves parents time
but also teaches kids valuable cooking skills they might
otherwise lack,” says Ponichtera.
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