Splash! Whoosh! Splat! If you are a Mom those sounds go hand in hand with feeding time for your toddler. There is no secret just how quickly children let us know when they dislike a particular food.
If the food isn't just spat out but actually launched as a projectile, we get the message loud and clear.
The baby food industry has gone to great lengths to provide us with dozens of different foods to feed our children. They also pay millions of dollars to advertising agencies to make them appealing . . . to Moms.
What they don't tell you is what, exactly, is in many of those little jars. To be fair, there are some producers who use "organic" ingredients and others who tout "no preservatives or chemicals."
Have you actually tasted what they are selling? It's no wonder that some children become picky eaters. Yes, we all know that the food is supposedly balanced with all the nutrients that your child requires, but what about some flavor?!.
How Should We Be Feeding Our Children?
Experts agree that we cannot teach much about nutrition to small children. What we can do is teach them about many varieties of foods. Also, introducing them to new foods goes a long way towards helping them make nutritious decisions as they grow older.
Many suburbanites are embracing "new" habits that really aren't all that new. The idea of growing your own food isn't "new." Not by a long shot. The state of our global economy AND the focus on a green environment has struck a chord with many people.
More than ever people are turning their back yards into green and growing vegetable gardens. Some folks are surprised to hear that these gardens rival any manicured and landscaped yards for beauty.
Okay, so maybe growing a well producing garden to more nutritious foods for your children is a leap. Maybe you live in a city with no yard whatsoever. An alternative might be container gardening.
No matter your situation, everyone has access to fresh fruits and vegetables. If you can't grow them yourself, turn to a local farmers market.
The chances are good that you will buy direct from the grower and can ask questions about their growing regimen. Do they fertilize? What kinds of fertilizer do that use on their crops? Do they use any harmful chemicals?
So Where Do You Start?
That's a very good question. If you are reading this, you are obviously someone who falls into the category of "if I knew better, I could DO better."
Well here's your chance. If we could give you a roadmap to healthier and more nutritious food for your children would you follow it? Of course you would. What parent doesn't want to do better for their children? We have just the tool for you. It's our handy guide "Cooking for Kids."
It has everything you need to know in order to begin feeding your children more nutritious foods, and not just toddlers:
What are the food groups - a great refresher
Finding out all about breakfast
How to improve your child's appetite
What tips to solve your child's food problems
And much more!
