Tastes change as we mature. Certain foods that appeal to you as an adult no doubt were on banished from your kid-cool list years ago. Still, the myth about kids not being open to healthy foods is not unrelated to the previous, "Good Food Tastes Bad."
This myth really got my attention a few years ago when someone innocently enough said to me, "Of course kids don't like Chinese food! Everybody knows that!"
I just did a little checking. According to the US Government's World Fact Book (www.cia.gov), ...
... there are currently approximately 273 million Chinese children age 14 and under. What do you suppose they eat? My guess is that those 273 million Chinese kids eat quite a bit of Chinese food, and are probably pretty happy to have the privilege of doing so. Otherwise they'd go hungry.
Do you suppose Chinese moms have special treats for their little ones? Certain foods that Chinese kids get in favor of the more highly-seasoned flavors their parents favor? Probably. Though I've never been to China, I'd guess they have some kind of a rice cereal or rice pudding thing going for the little ones. (If you know for sure, please leave me a comment.)
But the point remains that kids eat what's available. Pure and simple. Kids who grow up in homes where healthy foods are a normal part of their day-to-day routine will eat them. My nephews, ages 7 and 9, pick fresh veggies straight from the garden and think they're great!
Bear in mind that your kids, at birth, typically weigh between 5 and 10 pounds. Over the next years as they progress toward adulthood, a dramatic growth process takes place. All that increase in mass will be formulated from the foods your child takes in by mouth. Common sense tells us that a person made of carrots, broccoli, and other whole foods has got better building blocks in place for his future than a person made of fried chicken parts and processed mac 'n cheese.
Today's message: there's no time like the present to get kids on track for a healthy future. They'll eat what they see you eat, so get the whole family in on the plan. The research I've seen says that kids most commonly accept new foods between ages 2 and 4, when they want to do everything like their role models (mommy & daddy).
Nonetheless, older kids (and even adults!) can adjust to healthier tastes with the proper motivation. When minimally-processed whole foods are what's available, that can be a pretty strong motivating factor to try them out.
Have a healthy one!
Elizabeth Eckert can help you explore how simple everyday choices create health — or undermine even the best of intentions. With a background that ranges from energy medicine to structural bodywork to developmental psychology, this "Stick-To-It Coach" has the experience to support you in creating the healthiest possible expression of — you!
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