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The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…
Yesterday, I read with interest, an article by Kim Heinrich Gray in the Calgary Herald. Ms. Gray’s article was in response to a comment written by Drs. William, Martha, James, and Robert Sears in their book Ten Ways to Get Your Family on the Right Nutritional Track. In this book, Sears writes that kids mirror their mother’s eating habits more than their father’s. This concerned Ms. Gray as her habits are less than stellar. This doesn’t surprise me at all - does it you?
Food for thought. Your kids are watching you. Do you do as you say? When they say they are hungry, do you tell them to grab a piece of fruit while you are eating a cookie? Do you tell them to have a glass of water, while you are drinking a frappucino? Do you tell them to go play outside, while you are sitting in front of the TV?
In the house I grew up in, snack foods were usually chocolate, cake like food or cookies (my Dad) or cheese & crackers and chips (my Mom). Rarely did I see my parents snacking on fruit or what I would now consider healthier choices. What I did notice though, was the food my Mother choose to eat during the day. In retrospect, not the healthiest choices necessarily, but the effort was there. She quite often made herself a seperate meal of fish, vegetables or lean proteins & salads. The fact that the fish was breaded or the salad swimming in dressing didn’t matter - she was doing the best with what she knew how. She never had a weight problem either as she nipped it in the bud early. This did make an impression upon me - unfortunately, my snacking tendancies tend to want to mirror my father.
I think, just as then, we do the very best with what we know now. So in that vein, here is what I know to be true today:
Healthy snacking is important for the whole family. Yes you too. Not being afraid of food is important and knowing that healthy food is necessary fuel for our bodies, integral to our functioning well.
Avoid mindless snacking/eating - in front of the tv, computer or xbox.
Keep your snacks small and filling - Dr. Sears recommend choosing nutrient dense foods for snacks. You get more bang for your buck that way. A small handful of nuts, whole grain muffins, string cheese and fruit, pita with hummus or blueberries with yogurt.
Choose snack with high “water” content ie/ fruit - YOu get volume without the calories.
Lead by example with your family. Make a healthy lifestyle change.
Steph
Filed under: Thoughts — Stephanie @ 12:21 pm
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