Our connection to food is both physiological and psychological.
According to the European Food Information Council (EUFIC), “Sweet and high-fat foods have an undeniable sensory appeal and elicit rewarding post-ingestive effects, known as the ‘pleasure response’. These effects are mediated through the brain. It is not surprising then that food is not solely regarded as a source of nourishment but is often consumed for the pleasure value it imparts.”
Children, like adults, are pleasure seekers and want those ‘post-ingestive’ rewards. Unfortunately, they may be associating commercially prepared and packaged foods with such satiety. As reported in our recent article, Tips for back to school lunchesconvenience foods often contain high levels of sodium, dyes, artificial sweeteners and enriched flours (wheat stripped of nutrients and minerals AKA empty calories).
So how can you get your kids interested in eating more wholesome foods?
Talk about it
Primary grades teacher Shawna Buffie says healthy eating practices are part of the provincial curriculum starting in kindergarten. “By grade two they are ready to learn thedifferent food groups and the nutrition each offers at a basic level such as carbohydrates for energy, protein for muscles, fruits and veggies for nutrients for immunity and healing, milk products for calcium.”
Buffie says discussing the importance of high-quality food to play, learning and concentration at home and school is key to establishing a lifelong interest in nutrition.
If you have a little athlete, you might want Google search what their sports hero has to say about food. In an article for the Coaching Association of Canada pro female hockey player Hayley Wickenheiser shares some of her dietary tips and tricks for top performance. “Hayley’s nutrition has evolved over her 19 years on the Canadian national team — from being a regular ice cream and pizza lover, to now her current status of choosing raw, organic, wholesome, homemade meals.”
Get in the kitchen (together)
Buffie also stresses the importance of hands-on learning opportunities and exposure to whole foods that taste great and are good for them.
“We have a family friend my students call ‘Farmer Jack’ who has created his own set up for making apple juice.After grinding the apples to a pulp in his grinder, he uses an old clothes spinner to spin out the juice.The kids love having different jobs apple washers, transporting the apples station to station, helping pull the pulp out of the grinder. Parents would get a kick out of hearing them go on about how delicious the juice is.”
At home, why not carve out quality time to teach them a few family recipes. Grocery shopping for the ingredients together is a great way to get them interested in making a homemade apple crisp (swiftly swapping the all-purpose flour and white sugar for sprouted grains and honey – great recipe here).
If you are stuck for inspiration, cozy up together and check out kid chefs in action on Master Chef Junior. These culinary prodigies are sure to motivate young and old alike. You can also follow us on Facebook for back to school recipe ideas!
