Kid's Nutrition Class

Last Thursday I was blessed with 10 little people interested in learning about nutrition.  What I like about teaching kids is the simplicity behind it.  No need to go into the science, it's kind of like what Carole says is the truth, no arguments needed, just do it.  I asked each of the children to bring a box or a label of their favorite breakfast food and/or snack. 

Sometimes, I wish adults would take note from children and just do it.  It's such a simple concept that within an hour my 5 year olds were starting to grasp and my 10 year olds had mastered.  The concept is this:

Take your plate and divide it into 3 parts.  I told them to imagine those cool styrofoam plates you get at picnics and they were all like, "yeah, those are SO neat!"  Now, fill one part of your plate with protein, one part of your plate with carbohydrates, and one part of your plate with fat.

The kids were then informed that if they did this, they were eating a balanced meal.  I then explained to the kids that protein helps you build muscles, carbohydrates give you energy, and fat makes your tummy nice and full. 

We then took some time to talk about what each of these 3 parts really are in the food world.  We had a raise your hand session and filled up each of our 3 compartments on our plate.

Protein = meat, sausage, bacon, pork, fish, lamb, hot dogs, hamburgers, steak, chicken, turkey, cottage cheese, milk, cheese.

When I told the kids my little secret about protein, some of them looked at me like I was crazy but it clearly gets the point across.  I said if you look at something and think that it once had a face, then it was protein.  Beef comes from a cow, a cow had a face and that makes it a protein.  :0) 


We moved onto carbohydrate.  In the carbohydrate compartment I split my section down the middle and I told the kids there are many types of carbohydrates.  There are good carbohydrates that you can eat lots and lots of.  There are not so good carbohydrates that if you CHOOSE to eat them, you should just eat a little at a time.  You should always try to put the good carbohydrates on your plate first and then if you still really want a not so good carbohydrate then have some but just not too much.

Good carbohydrates = vegetables and fruit.  The kids, like many people I come across didn't realize that a vegetable or a fruit were considered a carbohydrate.  I reminded them that carbohydrates give them energy, so you could get energy from an apple or a red pepper just like you could if you ate a candy bar.  Either one of these is going to give you energy.  So, try to make the right choice.

Not so good carbohydrates = anything with sugar (cookies, cake, candy, pie, etc) and grains (bread, pasta, rice, cereal) The kids were really really good at naming this group.  I NEVER EVER EVER tell the kids that this is bad food, we call this not so good food and to make the right choice.  I find that if you tell the kids "they can't never" eat something....then you are pretty much setting them up for failure.

We then moved onto the fats.  This was a tough one for the kids as many of them have overheard their parents saying they are fat.  When kids hear fat they are literal.  So, they think fat is bad.  I am out to change fat's reputation.  Just saying.  I told them fat = nuts and seeds, oils and butters.  Nut butters, like almond butter and peanut butter. 

After we filled all the sections of our plate, I pulled out my food flash cards and asked the kids to make me a balanced meal.  We all know that our "balanced meal" should have protein, carbohydrates, and fat. 

Please take note that the children are not taught the specifics of PALEO they are taught balance, so don't be judgemental when you watch my videos if a child choose vegetable oil or peanuts, please take notice that these kids are learning about balance first.  One step at a time:

 

Once we made our balanced meals with our flash cards, it was time to talk about the box they brought with a label for their favorite breakfast food or snack.  This happens to be my favorite part.  I first take the kids that can read, and have them look for the ingredients on their label.  I ask them to read me the ingredients.  It's awesome to hear them try to pronounce the words on the label.  I as an adult of 43 years cannot pronounce the words on most labels and to ask an 8-10 year old to do it, well, just makes me laugh.  I tell the kids would you really like to eat something that you can't even figure out how to say?

I have also collected labels to share. I ALWAYS bring food to my kids nutrition meetings.  So, I have saved the labels of the treats I brought to share.  

I hold up my bag of carrots and say, "ingredients, carrots!" then my box from my strawberries, "ingredients, strawberries!"  The kids catch on quickly.  I hold up my egg carton and say, "ingredients!" and before I can get the words out of my mouth the kids say, "eggs!"  On and on we go through the blackberries, the raisins, the honey, the celery, brocolli, almonds, turkey, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, almond butter, etc.  The kids LOVE this part because in my loudest voice I say, "NOW, WOULDN'T YOU RATHER EAT SOMETHING YOU CAN PRONOUNCE THAN *)(!&)!#&)#!&! THAT YOU CAN'T?"  And I totally make up this big word that makes no sense!!  

The answer is an emphatic yes.  

I then share a healthy snack and have the kids choose a protein, a carb, and a fat to put on their plates.  I make sure to buy many flavors of Larabars and share those with the kids as well.  I always encourage the kids to try something they haven't tried before as I pull out my treats.

As the kids snack, we talk a little about sugar and high fructose corn syrup.  I tell them if they turn the box over and it has high fructose corn syrup in it, then to put it back on the shelf.  I also do a little math with the older kids and have them read the sugar content on their label.  I tell them that there is 1 tsp of sugar in every 4 grams.  One of the kids had a cereal with 28 grams of sugar and I said, "how about instead of eating your cereal tomorrow morning, you just get up and eat 7 heaping spoons of sugar?"  Of course they said, "no, yuck!" and I said, "well, it's what you're doing anyway!" 

All in all the kids leave with some new knowledge of what their eating.  Ultimately it is our responsibility as parents to ensure that our kids are eating healthy and balanced meals.  I always have healthy option and encourage the "good carbohydrates!"  That doesn't mean my children (or myself for that matter) always choose them....but I want them to know that there are choices.

I can always tell the kids that are strictly limited.  If your child goes to a party where this food is laid out, the feeling of eating it will be unbearable to the point where they will probably overeat and have a nice big ol' tummy ache.  Instead if these things are ever present and taught to eat in moderation, when your child ends up at this party they will choose wisely and only eat enough to satisfy that little craving. 

Start with your child's first meal.  Breakfast.  I worked with the kids on balance, one little girl was having a waffle with peanut butter and syrup for breakfast.  We talked about her peanut butter being a healthy fat, and her waffle being a not so good carbohydrate and I said to her, all you have to do is eat a hard boiled egg or some sausage and you will have a balanced meal.

Don't wake up tomorrow and strip your children of all the "not so good" things you've been feeding them, just offer them balance and as time goes on, you'll see that those not so good things will start to dissipate and those good things will be the go to food.