Central Coast Home & Lifestyle Spring 2020

Ways to encourage kids to eat healthy

E ating healthy food is vital for brain and body development but it can be hard at times to get kids to eat those fruits and veggies. By having them grow their own string beans, carrots and lettuce, they will have a sense of pride in eating what they have “created.” This, in turn, will emphasize the importance of healthy eating. Kids will soon learn to love eating strawberries, blueberries and even broccoli! Kids learn best when engaging all their senses. With gardening, kids can touch and feel the dirt, seeds and flowers, see the vibrant colours and varied sizes of the plants, hear the sound of the vegetable when it is taken from the plant and smell the amazing scents of the flowers. Allowing all the senses to be involved helps kids understand and grasp the concept of gardening along with all the math and scientific concepts that go along with it. Gardening is a wonderful introduction into the world of science especially botany, biology and chemistry. When kids plant

supermarket run, take your family to a local farmer’smarket (or to the farm itself) andmeet the people who grow the food. Picking berries from a vine can help nurture a lifelong love of good eating and environmental stewardship. Visiting a dairy farm can teach children where their milk comes from (and why we should care about what goes in it). Planting tomatoes and melons in the garden may tempt a child to try the fruits of their labour. If you stock the kitchen exclusively with healthy treats, children will eat them. As your children grow, stock good snacks in cabinets and shelves that they can reach without your help. Some kids eat more when they’re in the car than when they’re at the table simply because active play isn’t a viable alternative when you’re strapped in. Make sure you’re prepared with nutritious snacks whether you’re driving. Good choices include sliced apples, carrot sticks, whole grain crackers, light popcorn, raisins and water bottles.

their first seeds they become curious about what will happen next. They make their own hypothesis and monitor the progress each day. Without even realizing it, kids are learning the basic steps of the scientific process. As kids get older, they learn about the impact of sunlight and water on the growth of a plant. They learn which plants need more sunlight, which need less water and how long they take to grow. Gardening offers wonderful science lessons right at home and allows your child to enjoy being outside. If you live in a unit you can plant herbs and vegetables in pots. If you involve kids in planning meals, grocery shopping, and preparing food, they will become invested in the process and more likely to eat. Even toddlers can help you make choices (pears or nectarines?) along the way. Simple, no-cook recipes like frozen yogurt popsicles or fruit parfaits are an excellent way to get young chefs interested in healthy cooking and eating. Teach kids where their food comes from. Rather than limiting yourself to the weekly

City Market Market operates at our NUE * wground GOSFORD DAY wground * OSFORD am till 1.00pm market.com.au u Mobile: 0427 586 079 (where they race the dogs)

The Central Coast’s premier Farmers Market operates at our new venue Gosford Showground every Sunday 7am - Midday

Showground Road, GOSFORD e: admin@nswfarmersmarket.com.au | m: 0427 586 079 gosfordcityfarmersmarket.com.au