Food is Everything!

It was recently brought to my attention that some people do not teach their children how to cook. 

      

       Cooking with your children is really something you need to start doing from an early age that way your child accepts it as something they need to know, like riding a bike and reading. When you introduce your children early on to kitchen things they will will continue to acknowledge your tips and techniques all through their childhood and teen years.  

       In my mind I feel that this goes back to previous posts I have written about giving your children the tools necessary to succeed in life. Why wouldn't you teach your children to cook? You teach them to do other things right? How I see it, you are what you eat and it is so important to be a peach. Okay, maybe not a peach but at least be something you can pronounce most of the time! If you do not teach your children how to cook, select food and allow them to learn through your own examples they may not make very good food choices when they grow up. 

Food is everything. Food is what makes us strong, nourishes our bones, hydrates our organs, and lessens the risks of certain cancers. Food is also what contributes to obesity, poor growth, worsens illnesses, causes digestive problems, cancer, and poor sleeping habits. You have the good with the bad and as a parent it is your responsibility to be healthy for your children. To show them how you care for yourself and to teach them the same habits. Do you want your kids to grow up to be overweight or develop colon cancer or do you want your children to grow up with lower risks of having cancer and osteoporosis?
Maybe I am a bit extreme and maybe I take it too far. Perhaps, my children will grow up and leave the nest and binge on soda and pizza and perservative filled desserts that come in a box. That's their choice, I won't like it but if that is what they choose to do after an upbringing of healthy eating and good foods... they'll fast learn that mommy knows best.

All this talk of food made me hungry. A hard boiled egg, yogurt, and a glass of water. Really... I'll show you...

       So there you have my middle of the night snack time. For tonight anyway, some nights are not so healthy. I must admit after purchasing the yogurt I read the label... artificial sweetener... really!? Why is that even necessary? I have made homemade yogurt; I didn't even add sugar to it. It's not necessary! I won't be buying that again.

       I have to get creative these days with gluten being 100% evil. I slip up a lot but I really am trying and I think that's probably the most important thing. If you try, your children will try to. If you burn something, let them know that it happens to the best of us. Eliminate their fears by not being perfect at what you're teaching them. Many children and teenagers are scared to try new things because of the fear of failure. Reassure them, that if they burn something or add the wrong seasoning, it is not the end all of their cooking career. It is a lesson learned. Tell them a story of something you made when you were just starting that ended in disaster.

Remember to have fun and, food is EVERYTHING, but not everything is food.
No eating tv-watching puppies!