Hold the Wrappers – Helping Kids Make Healthy Choices

Recent parenting dilemma: Typically happy son races off the bus because it’s the end of the school day. This particular time did not go as smoothly: “Mom! Why did you cut me off of a la carte!” To clarify the context of a la carte, fourth graders not only have Tik Tok and avatars, they have the freedom to buy lunch from a daily menu at school. When I was their age it was a puny carton of milk and cold pizza Fridays. Luc can choose from snacks, drinks and hot meals from a menu that’s available on his school’s website. I can view these orders on the K12PaymentCenter site where, during the first week of school, he bought so many bags of chips I assumed he treated his classmates to a round of Dorito’s. This prompted a call to the lunchroom administrator, who swiftly limited the number of a la carte items per day. Return to the irate son.

Farm fresh foods can be as enticing as processed with the right presentation.

The scenario not only exposes a disturbing account as to what his first credit card bill may be, but the ability to have wherewithal in making responsible, healthy choices. It starts at home, where I’ve made a point to include Luc in the meal planning, marketing and softly introducing him to the value of nutritionally-dense foods. Food shopping begins in the produce section, with its seductive pyramids of colorful berries, fruits and vegetables that come with the occasional spray of water to add a dreamy effect. It’s a formidable opponent to the rows of cookies, candies and chips that share the manic design of a kid’s favorite app.

Promote healthy choices with alluring displays.

When you eat healthfully on a regular basis, tearing open a shiny snack bag loses its appeal. Make natural foods readily available, which contributes to their allure and convenience. Take the concept further with food outings, such as dining at restaurants that have a healthful bent or buying food the way we did pre mega market days. Shopping for fish, meat, fruits and bakery items from niche food purveyors have shorter or no on-truck time and the food’s freshness will reflect in their superior taste.

A nostalgic activity that celebrates the seasons is picking fruit. Just weeks after the a la carte incident, we made a point to go on our annual sojourn to a nearby farm where apples were the seasonal bounty. The orchards were so robust, we wandered freely and plucked the apples from their stem in an Adam and Eve reenactment without the biblical melodrama. The bundles of fruit we brought home were parceled out to appreciative neighbors and allowed us to test recipes. Even our desserts have a more natural composition by using fresh ingredients. By taking control of your child’s nutritional destiny, lifelong benefits await. Now, about that first credit card…

Apple Recipes

Note to reader: The recipes included call upon healthier substitutes–reducing sugar and no butter–with imprecise measurements. They can be tweaked to your preference.

Healthy Apple Sauce

Ingredients:

2 apples

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp Sweetleaf Sugar Leaf

Juice of a quarter of lemon

Direction: Chop apples, puree in small food processor. In a large pot, add apples with ingredients. Stir to desired consistency.

Tip:

Baby Brezza’s food maker that’s intended for baby food is an easy way to dice ingredients without the disruption of a larger appliance.

Easiest Apple Pie You’ll Ever Make

Ingredients:

3 chopped medium apples

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

4 tbsp Sweetleaf Sugar Leaf

Juice of half a lemon/save the rinds

2 tbsp old-fashioned oats

Pre-made graham cracker crust

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl mix apples with cinnamon, apple cider vinegar and sugar. Stir till mixed. Add the juice of a half lemon. Remove lemon pulp and add rinds to the mixture. Sprinkle with oats and honey. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Microwave on high for four minutes. Remove lemon rinds, add apple filling to pie crust. Bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

Resources:

Glass One Step Baby Food Maker: Baby Brezza

Table runner: Linen Me

Red tea towel: Roller Rabbit

White tea towel: Pomegranate Inc.