8 Nutrition Tips for Healthy, Vital Kids

Yes, I have a lovable, sweet, precious, and picky boy. When I was pregnant, I had all these plans about how I was going to feed my child. My career as a chef convinced me that I would provide delicious and nutritious homemade food that my child would love. It started great; he loved breast milk! He was one of those children who didn’t sleep a lot, so at six months I was convinced that if he started to eat food, he would sleep better. Well. That backfired. He did not like food. Nevertheless, he was thriving even though he was not gaining as much weight as other babies, but he was alert and reaching all his milestones. I kept the practice of breastfeeding alive.

Now, at almost ten, he eats well, although he does not eat everything, but that is okay. He always tells me that when he is older, he will like salad, but for now, he eats lots of broccoli, carrots, peas, celery and cucumber, and I can live with that.

When my son was four years old, I decided that my path was to go back to school to study nutrition. Here is the heart of what I learned about nutrition:

1. Never bribe you children with candy as it creates an unhealthy relationship with food. If your child does not want vegetables, try again tomorrow.

2. Children have different needs than adults. They need to build, whereas adults need to sustain or cleanse, therefore too many vegetables and not enough building foods can be too cleansing for children.

3. Making homemade cookies is one hundred times better than buying them at the store.

4. Really limit sugar.

5. Start the conversation about food choices young; eventually they will get it.

6. Be consistent, but not dogmatic. Allow them some fun.

7. Talk to them about listening to their body and noticing how they feel when they eat and when they are full. If a child says he is full halfway through the meal, respect that and let them stop eating, but tell them there are no snacks, or if they are still hungry later, they will have to eat the rest of their dinner.

8. Focus on whole foods including grass fed and free range meats and eggs, organic vegetables and fruit, complex carbohydrates (brown rice, whole breads, quinoa, oats) and healthy fats. Avoid all foods with high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. Eat most meals at home. Avoid all packaged breakfast cereals because the cardboard box it is in is probably more nutritious.

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By Michelle Pascal, Registered Holistic Nutritionist

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