HEALTH FAMILY NUTRITION GETTING BACK ON TRACK AFTER A SUMMER OF FUN BY JENNIFER MACTAVISH GBK 14 GREY-BRUCE KIDS • FALL <strong>2021</strong>
As fall approaches, and with it the hope of life returning to some sort of pre-pandemic normalcy, many people are wondering how to get their families back on track with their eating habits. Since March 2020 many people have been working or schooling from home, with constant access to the kitchen. While some people took the opportunity to learn a new skill (sourdough bread anyone?), others found themselves or their families constantly snacking to help pass the time or for comfort during the dark days of various lockdowns. For some families, the pandemic provided an opportunity to slow things down and reconnect over family meals more often. For others, a tighter food budget may have left them more stressed, trying to stretch every dollar to fill the stomachs of their growing children. Whatever your experience has been over the past year-anda-half, the fall marks a great opportunity to get re-organized in the kitchen and to take some time to reflect on what has changed in your family that you’d like to keep and what habits have crept in that you’d like to move away from. While many folks were working on their dining room tables or in very close proximity to the kitchen anyway, we’ve gotten used to the idea of food constantly being at our sides. Now might be a good time to work your way back to a more regular eating pattern that allows time in between regular meals and snacks to take a break from eating, let digestion happen, and permit appetites to build. Grazing patterns, or even filling up on liquids like milk and juice between meals, leave children without much of an appetite. This means there is very low desire or motivation to try new foods or even eat at all during meals. It is one of the most common concerns parents have about their children’s eating. Hunger really is the secret ingredient to building a child’s dietary variety. Every family will find their own rhythm with this, and often the pattern that works the best for children (and adults alike) is one that includes three meals, with one-to-three small, balanced snacks built in between. Allowing for two to three hours between meals and snacks, in which only water is offered, lets children’s tummies digest the food they’ve consumed, and come to the table hungry for their next meal or snack. Similarly, skipping meals, or going for prolonged periods without eating during the day, leaves people cranky, lacking the fuel supply required for their brains to think and concentrate at school and work, and causes people to become over-hungry, which can lead to more snacking or over-eating later in the day. Family routines, including regular meal times, help maintain a sense of normalcy even in difficult times. If you are wondering where to get started with your family’s nutrition, getting back to a routine with your meals and snacks is a great first step. COOK TOGETHER Perhaps your family picked up some traditions during the pandemic that are worth keeping, such as cooking together or experimenting with new recipes. Cooking together is a great way to reconnect with your family, to expose kids to new foods, and, of course, teach an important life skill. Getting kids involved in planning meals, shopping, gardening, and helping in the kitchen is a wonderful way to increase their exposure to food. <strong>Kids</strong> often need repeated but neutral (no pressure) exposure to new foods before they will School lunch ideas Muffin tin frittatas. Add a salad and finish with a yogurt and chopped-up fruit. California quinoa salad. make a big batch to serve up for lunches. Try this recipe at yumyummer.com/ california-quinoa-salad. Taco salad. Use leftover ground beef from tacos to serve on top of mixed greens or romaine lettuce, topped with their favourite additions like red peppers, black beans, green onions, grated cheese, and tortilla strip salad toppers. Chicken wraps. Grill extra chicken breasts for supper to use in wraps for lunches. Use whole-grain wraps, add their favourite dressing (try mayonnaise, southwest chipotle dressing or ranch), and their favourite veggies (chopped peppers, cucumbers, grated carrots or shredded cabbage). greybrucekids.com • 15
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