Changing the way your family eats might seem overwhelming but it doesn't have to be. Start small. Keep it simple. And remember, everything in moderation.
Recently, we have been inundated with the fact that the number of overweight children and children at-risk or suffering from obesity is at an all-time high. In the last twenty years, the rate of childhood obesity has more than doubled. It is staggering to think about, but what is worse is that it seems to be stumping parents with each and every news report. Many parents don’t know what to do or where to start. A complete overhaul is overwhelming; changing their children’s lifestyles all at once is almost impossible.
My suggestion is simple: moderation. Start there. Find the happy medium. You are not a bad parent because dinner came from the drive-thru last night. And you are not a horrible mother or an awful father because breakfast was a box of doughnuts. But you could be an even better parent if you strike a balance between Happy Meals on the go and healthy meals at home. It may seem hard; I know it isn’t easy. But what is easy isn’t always right, and what is right isn’t always easy. Right? So start to think about how you can reach the middle ground, moderation, with your children’s meals.
According to the International Symposium of Eating Disorders, the only bad foods are moldy, spoiled, and allergy-causing. If a food doesn’t fit one of those categories, it’s okay for your kid to eat - in moderation. What are moderate amounts of food? The Food Guide Pyramid, which provides a recommended range of servings for six different food groups, is an excellent plan to eating healthy and balanced meals. The plan separates foods and their servings into the following six categories: bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group (6-11 servings); fruit group (2-4 servings); vegetable group (3-5 servings); milk, yogurt, and cheese group (2-3 servings); meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group (2-3 servings); and fats, oils, and sweets (use sparingly). The USDA suggests that Americans use this helpful guide to eating, and it makes other general nutritional recommendations, as well. The Food Guide Pyramid, the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the other nutritional suggestions can be accessed from the usda.gov Web site. You will notice how often words like “moderate,” “variety,” “regular,” and “balanced’ are used throughout their recommendations for dietary intake.
Portions and servings are discussed on the site, as well. Portions are often equated to the size of our palms. And serving sizes do differ among foods. If your children are old enough to read, flip a package over and show them the nutritional label. There is a lot of information they don’t need to be concerned with, yet. But you can point out the serving size for that particular food and if you do it consistently, it will empower and enable them to find and read that label on their own eventually.
I know. It seems like a lot to digest. But small steps will help. One meal at a time, one day at a time, and you can improve your children’s diet. In moderation, of course.
