Eating is not the same as eating, and healthy eating may not be responsible. That is why we dedicate this article to these concepts, healthy and responsible eating, because we are our children's first school. As mothers we must transmit values and an example of healthy eating, from a healthy point of view, and also responsible for the environment.
Today is the World Food Day, this is such an essential concept that it is framed within the Human rights and is part of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Educate in a healthy and responsible diet
The healthy habits are learned, we are always in time to correct the most undesirable ones. It is important that at home, from an early age, children are accustomed to a healthy eating environment, in which food contributes to children's development. When you adopt good eating habits in childhood, you have a healthier lifestyle in adulthood. Health problems are prevented.
In the opposite sense, a poorly nourished child will have physical growth problems, but also learning and, surely, behavior. A poorly nourished child is not only one with a dietary deficit, childhood obesity is also a symptom of poor nutrition. 19% of Spanish children are obese, and the child population with overweight problems has tripled in the last 15 years.
Teach how to eat properly, choose foods with high nutritional capacities, And taking into account our closest environment, for it to be done in a responsible way, it is not an easy task.
How to educate in a healthy diet
Children must be conveyed the message of having a varied and balanced diet. This can only be achieved if we have a variety of foods at home at home. We can also teach our children pyramids or nutritional wheels to help them know whether or not they are complying with what the pyramid recommends. The supermarket can help us experiment and choose the healthiest foods. Let your children accompany you in these decisions.
When serving food, be aware of proportions. The portion for a child is not the same as that for an adult. Try to include different flavors, colors, textures and consistencies in the dishes, in order to stimulate the children's desire to eat. They will also feel more motivated to eat if they have participated in the process.
Beyond food, children must be encouraged to healthy eating habits. It is important to eat slowly and calmly. Eating with enough time, being aware of the importance and value of food is essential. If you can't enjoy this time every day, at least make it special on the days that you can, so your children will understand its value.
Educating in responsibility
As we have said, eating healthy is not exactly the same as eat responsibly. This implies one more step of responsibility with the environment. For this we give you a series of guidelines that you can include in your children's diet. For example:
- Food should be neither a reward nor a punishment.
- Consume seasonal foods and if they are from closeness better. On the one hand you will be promoting the economy of your environment, and on the other, contributing less pollution to the planet, by saving transportation.
- If you go out to eat, take what is left over, as my mother would say: "It's yours, you paid for it," and you also prevent it from going to the garbage can. In this sense, at home, do the same, reuse food, don't discard fruit or vegetables that don't look good.
- If you can, buy products from fair trade, These guarantee the practice of gender equality, do not use child labor, the establishment of equitable wages, and if these foods come from other countries it is an opportunity to learn more about their culture with your children.