Thursday, June 9, 2011

Why healthy families cook together

Healthy Family
Sounds like a lost art in today's urban Indian household. In modern times, it's quite hard for parents with hectic schedules to check their kids' homework, let alone teach them healthy cooking. After all who has the extra time and patience, but many experts think healthy cooking with children is well worth the effort.

According to an American Heart Association's report overweight problems in kids can be dealt by involving children in meal planning, shopping, and healthy cooking. Teaching kids how to cook and appreciate healthy food also reduces the number of meals they eat outside, and when they do - they opt for healthier, low-calorie foods. Such kids also enjoy well-structured meal times at home.

In the short term, teaching your kids how to cook healthy will increase their confidence in healthy foods and they will be more likely to join in for family meal preparations. Cooking is also a wonderful activity to open communication lines between kids and parents. Kids tend to avoid junk food when they're cooking a meal at home with their parents.

In the long term, healthy cooking with your kids will set your kids up for lifelong healthy eating habits. And kids who eat healthy at a young age tend to eat healthy as adults. Some studies have proposed that cooking together helps in establishing a bond between parent and children.

How to Start Cooking With Children. Of course it's never a good idea to give a young kid sharp objects like knives! How, then, can they help around the kitchen? Think breakfast. Not only is a healthy breakfast the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle, but it also doesn't include too much chopping, cutting etc. Butter the toasts, pour out the cereal, peel the fruits, pour the milk, breakfast is full of small chores that should be second nature come morning. Opt for healthy options such as high-fiber and nutrient-rich whole grains, fruits, and dairy products. Hard pressed for time in the morning? Try cooking breakfast with them on the weekends. Or may be during their summer holidays.

Read More

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Content

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...