NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH: Healthy Recipes for Kids

Parents we know you work hard. In fact, the majority of Americans work over 40 hours per week. (Miller, 2016) So being able to produce easy-to-make, healthy recipes for kids are often thought of as mission impossible! Parents tend to envision chopping up celery sticks, stringing zucchini and buying expensive vegetables that your child will never eat. This is a common misconception that we hope to remedy.

Your child is developing astronomically fast! At age 2, they begin to speak sentences, start to run, climb and are able to imitate others. At age 3, they start to understand the concept of empathy, dress and undress themselves, and complete puzzles. They begin to sing songs from memory, parts of a story, hop and stand on one foot for two seconds, at age 4. From ages 5 to 6, they are aware that he or she is a boy or girl, print letters and numbers, and are able to recite their name and address. This is the beginning of your child creating a “self image”. (CDC, 2016)

Unfortunately, people tend to underestimate the importance of a child’s diet in developing their “self image”. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 17% of individuals from ages 2 to 17 are obese. The lack of healthy habits in a child’s diet not only lead to diseases but also low-self esteem. Low self-esteem can prevent or halt your child’s course to reaching achievements, making friends, and feeling optimistic.

The first step is awareness. Once you become aware of these facts you can take action and make healthier choices for your child! We know what you’re thinking, “It’s not that simple!” We know there are other factors to consider: work schedules, soccer practice, ballet class, homework time, groceries and not to mention personal free time (very important). Amidst all that chaos, we promise you can squeeze in these healthy recipes for your kids. These recipes will not only simplify your life but also give your kids the nutritional foundation they need for a healthy future.