Prioritizing Healthy Eating

Prioritizing Healthy Eating

Eating healthy can be a tremendous challenge for families in today’s fast-paced society. Food preparation takes time and energy and often when both parents are working or children have extracurricular activities, there is precious little time left for preparing healthy homemade meals. This leaves many families reaching for a quick, prepared meal, a frozen dinner or fast-food fare.  It also means that the tradition of sharing a homemade meal together as a family at the end of the day is becoming a thing of the past.

Living life in the fast lane comes with a high-priced speeding ticket however. The lack of nutrition in fast-food and processed food is contributing to our country’s ever-increasing rate of obesity.  Currently, 59% of adult Canadians are either overweight or obese.  Childhood obesity rates have also reached shocking numbers with 26% of Canadian children ages 2-17 years old now overweight or obese.

The act of breaking bread together also serves as important cohesive family time, and acts as a forum for families to share thoughts, feelings and ideas.  So, perhaps instead of sending kids off to every conceivable extracurricular activity, a better use of your time is an hour spent around the table as a family.

The “slow food” movement is a reaction to this mealtime mayhem and an effort to return to eating food that is nutritious and also a part of our culture and community. The “slow food” website (www.slowfood.com) attempts to remind us that “food means pleasure, culture and conviviality.” Eating food in our cars misses the point that eating well is not only about nutrition, but also about the cultural and social importance of our food.

Schools are also getting in on the act by offering basic cooking instruction. Educators are attempting to get kids excited about learning cooking skills and about reawakening their senses. Research shows that when kids help prepare a meal, they are much more likely to eat it. Learning cooking skills also goes a long way towards building self-esteem.  A program in York Region north of Toronto, called You’re the Chef, teaches children in grades 6-8 how to prepare healthy meals and snacks with an emphasis on eating more fruits and vegetables.

You’re the Chef is offered as a free after-school program. Its goal is to help students develop the skills and confidence necessary to prepare and enjoy healthy recipes. Students in the You’re the Chef program learn life skills that they can take home to their families. Children are involved in every stage of preparation from the chopping and sautéing to the cleanup. 

Involving kids in the process of mealtime preparation is something you can try at home. It is a great way to build your kids’ confidence in cooking and teach them basic cooking skills. There are many quick and easy recipes like stir-fries, omelettes, simple pasta dishes, salads and soups that take little preparation and offer a nutritious alternative to frozen fare or fast-food for busy families. Developing healthy eating habits early in life can lead to a lifetime of healthy living, so get started today! Involve your children in the menu planning, grocery shopping and food preparation whenever possible. Keep your pantry and refrigerator stocked with affordable choices of fresh, frozen and canned fruit and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grain cereal, pastas and lean meats and alternative protein options. Then slow down and enjoy it all!