Crunchy Goodness

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Raising Healthy Children

The number one mistake we're making as parents is to let the food industry tell us we're doing a Job Well Done when we feed our kids crap. They tell us it's Whole Grain! or that something is "baked not fried" or my favorite "all natural". Lead is all natural too, but you don't want to eat it do you? Do not let the food industry tell you that you're doing a great job with feeding your children. They are in it to make money! This problem goes so far beyond the "obesity epidemic" we're hearing so much about.

When I turned 26, I had my first child. From that day on, things changed for me. I spent my early 20's like most college students do. Cheap food, fast food, and fattening and unhealthy foods. My concern was simple sustenance and how cheaply I could achieve that. Having children made me realize that what you put into your body is so much more important than simply not starving. For the first time, I was actually caring about what I ate, and what my children ate. So much so, that I lost over 100lbs. But even then, I didn't realize I still wasn't eating healthy enough.

I think one mistake too many parents are making, is that they think there is a difference in "adult food" vs. "children's food". As adults our palates have taken on a more cultured taste, and we expect that children are only going to want chicken nuggets, french fries, soda, and sugary snacks like cakes and cookies. When feeding them a snack we don't reach for apples, but instead reach for something boxed, promising "goodness" within it's cardboard flaps. Features like "whole grain", "all natural" and "good for you!" abound down the center aisles of the grocery store.

I come across daily, so many blogs of "real moms" making claims of "eating healthy on a budget" and "quick and healthy" meals, and yet they contain high sugar, high sodium and high crap. So here's some rules to live by with regards to raising healthy children.

1. Don't reward with food. Likewise don't punish with food. No telling your child to "eat everything and then you'll get a dessert". Also, do not take away your child's food or dessert as punishment. In our house, I serve dinner. Then I serve dessert. The children can eat what they like, or not eat what they don't like. Some nights, my 4yo might only get the dessert. Other nights, he doesn't like the dessert and eats double portions of my famous vegetarian lasagna. I know that both my dinners and the desserts are going to be the best possible food I can make for them, and therefore don't worry about if they finish their plates. Over time, they have shifted to having a more "adult" palate than their peers, so I know this method is working.

2. Feeding each of your children different depending on their ages. Aside from infants and toddlers that need their foods chopped or pureed, there is absolutely no reason your 2 yo and your 8 yo cannot have the same baby carrots for a snack. Do not fall prey to the infant food aisle that's chock full of gmo crap that you wouldn't want to eat yourself, let alone feed to your children. No one needs to eat "snack puffs". Just....no. Walk away from the special foods aisle and back to the produce section. Even cubed cheese or a hardboiled egg (my 2yo and my 4yo love these) is a good snack. Start literally thinking outside the box when you feed your children.

3. Thinking that all sugary goodies are "bad for you". I fix a dessert about two times a week. It might be a cake, or brownies, or strawberry shortcake. The difference is that I know where our food comes from, and we use dairy that is organic/no hormones/no antibiotics and we use non-gmo foods for things like wheat flour etc. Instead of buying a box of cookies at the store which contain ingredients you cannot even pronounce, let alone want to eat, make your own, and source your ingredients! They are more satisfying and it's a great way to get your children involved in their foods.

4. Raise a garden. It doesn't even have to be fancy. Just a small kitchen garden on your backyard patio would be enough to get the children involved in their foods. Children are fascinated by growing food. My 2 yo actually picks off shell peas and eats them by opening the pod with his teeth and then taking out the peas inside. I know what you're thinking. "My children won't eat that.....they just....won't." I promise you, they will. Maybe not right at first. If they're used to boxed foods, they're going to balk, because they don't have the knowledge you and I have with regards to health. They also have little self control. But slowly, and surely, just cut out the crap and add in the goodies, they will eat, they will not starve. I promise.

5. Don't let them drink their food. Most parents, myself included at one time, thought juice was a perfectly healthy solution to soda and other bad for you drinks. However, we're finding out, that juices can raise your blood sugar the same way a Coke can, and they just aren't as good for you as water, or eating the actual fruit. Try to avoid juices altogether, and if your child needs some flavoring, add in some natural lemon, lime or other fruit juices.

Just by making some changes, a little at a time, we can begin feeding our children what their bodies actually crave, instead of what their minds crave.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

FREE BOOKS!

Free books again this Wednesday! At the time I posted, all four books are free. I am so looking forward to reading Grow Your Own Food!

Container Gardening Season by Season

Secrets to Fertilizing your Garden

Grow your Own Food

Growing Vegetables like a Pro

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Thursday, June 6, 2013

Processed Meat too dangerous for human consumption?

In my quest to turn our typical suburban lot into a productive, high yielding urban homestead, I come across a lot of information. Some of it is sound, scientific research and some of it, fear mongering and unscientific. Today I came across an article merging these two regarding cancer risks and processed meats. The problem is, that the research it's using doesn't actually say that "processed meats are too dangerous for human consumption" and when people use fear mongering to promote an idea or way of life, it's human nature to disregard everything else they say as well. So in the interest of promoting a lifestyle that will lower your risk for cancer, I went straight to the source, the WCRF.

"Eat less red meat (such as beef, pork and lamb) and avoid processed meat. To reduce your cancer risk, eat no more than 500g (cooked weight) per week of red meat, like beef, pork and lamb, and avoid processed meats such as ham, bacon, salami, hot dogs and some sausages."

Now, while this is absolutely not the same as "processed meats not fit for human consumption" there DOES seem to be an increased risk for certain cancers from those that consume more than the above recommended meats, and from those that do not avoid processed meats. So what are processed meats?

"Processed meats are meats which have been preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or by the addition of preservatives. Examples include ham, bacon, pastrami and salami, as well as hot dogs and some sausages. Hamburgers and minced meats only count as processed meat if they have been preserved with salt or chemical additives."
"Research has show that eating processed meat can increase cancer risk. If you eat meat, then it is best to choose unprocessed meat."

The idea here is that if you choose to eat meat, and really humans are omnivores, then choose those meats that are not processed. Choose meats that do not have chemical additives. The best way to ensure this is to buy local and buy straight from the source. You want bacon? Find a local pig farmer that sells his pigs by the whole or half pig and will slaughter it for you. More and more of these local farms are springing up around the country, and the more we support them, the faster they'll grow and the more options we will have, and we won't have to turn to processed meats laden with chemicals for our meat sources.

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