All parents want their children to make better choices when it comes to their diet. It's only natural that you start getting concerned when they think the food groups are candy, Ho-Hos, fish sticks and Kool Aid.
It's not enough to say, "Now, Billy, eat your green beans before you finish that bag of M&Ms." *Spoken in your June Cleaver voice*
You need to make sure you're not eating a bag of M&Ms, too. Children can only eat what is in the house. It seems a lot of parents want to eat one thing, but magically expect their kids to eat another. It doesn't work that way.
"Yes, I know I drink a soda with every meal, but you need to drink water. Soda is icky!" *Said while making a really exaggerated "icky" face.*
They follow in our footsteps. They eat what we eat. Take a second to open your fridge and cabinets and see what you have. If you see the types of foods you want your kids to eat, you're good. If your cabinets look like an oversized vending machine, something needs to change.
It can be overwhelming to try to completely change your eating habits over night, so start small. Make it a point not to buy anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup. (That alone will be a challenge since companies seem to put it in everything.) After that, cut out artificial dyes. (If it's electric blue, it's a no-go.) Then continue to make cuts as you go along, but don't rush yourself. You have to find your own balance and do it in your own time in order to make a lasting change.
Some parents complain that healthier food is more expensive and harder to come by. This is true, but it is worth it. A lot of us obsess over the cute little clothes we put on the outside of our children. Why not obsess over what we put inside?
Zara's Mommy, Nadirah Angail
nadirahangail.com
