Good Eating Habits Start at the Beginning
So you discovered you are expecting a new addition to your family, time to start eating for two! While this may be the first time you feel truly comfortable letting your belly hang out, your eating habits during your pregnancy are the first building blocks to providing your child with the right nutrition. The mere fact that you are growing a human being from scratch means you need a powerhouse of nutrients during your pregnancy and choosing the right foods can prevent many complications to your pregnancy and birth. Here are some quick tips when making decisions about what to choose for your meals:
Choose Foods from the Earth
Choose to eat unprocessed or minimally processed foods whenever possible. Raw or steamed veggies, fresh fruits, whole grains, raw nuts, legumes and beans are all packed with nutrients. Eat these whenever possible in their purest form fresh from the produce stand or from the bulk bin, not out of a box or can. Sprout grains for an extra delicious and nutritious option.
Eat Varieties of Foods
Switch up your food choices to get well-balanced nutrition.
Skip the Fake Sweeteners
Most of us love a little sweetness in our food and
we are told that low-calorie or no-calorie
sweeteners are better for us, but in
actuality, many of these sweeteners contain
potentially harmful chemicals or are difficult for our bodies to
process. Aspartame, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sucralose, Acesulfame
potassium, Saccharin, Neotame are all highly processed sweeteners
and should be avoided. Instead, opt for small amounts of organic
cane sugar or honey. Agave and stevia are
also arguably more healthy sweeteners.
Toddler Nutrition
With infants, nutrition is fairly clear-cut: breastmilk is best and organic formulas are a good alternative. Both provide sufficient nutrition while a spattering of "solid" foods is introduced around 6 months. Enter toddlerhood, where our children become clear about their likes and dislikes and eating habits become a daily guessing game. It is normal for children to have days when they eat very little and days when they can't seem to eat enough. As long as varieties of foods are offered and weight gain is normal, there is no reason to worry or pressure a child to eat when they aren't interested.
Sneaking in Veggies
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Smoothies with
Hidden Greens |
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| Smoothies are a big hit with kids and they don't have to just be fruit smoothies. Next time you blend up a treat, add some fresh spinach, kale or parsley to bananas, strawberries, apples, blueberries or other fruits. You might also consider adding some Kiefer or Goat's Milk Keifer for a dose of probiotics. |
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Vegetable Soup
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| When my toddler is eating
around all the veggies I sneak in other foods,
I go for my power-packed vegetable soup and "dippy-dip".
Basically, take any vegetable you can find
in your house - potatoes, carrots, peas,
spinach, kale, broccoli, squash, green beans,
then peel, chop and boil in some low sodium,
organic vegetable stock until the veggies
are soft. Pour it into the blender and puree.
Add a dolup of organic whipping cream or
some organic parmesan cheese. Serve it up
with whole wheat toast, sliced as dipping
sticks. |
Here are some other great recipes made from fruit and veggie goodness:
Sweet Potato French Toast
Playgroup Granola Bars
Apple Toast |
Keys to Long-Term Nutrition
The biggest key to your child's good nutrition choices throughout their life is by providing them with a good model. Choosing good foods for your family and being persistent about offering healthy foods, even when children refuse them, is the biggest key to a healthy lifestyle in their future.
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