What exactly is A Balanced Meal for your Children? What is a “good” snack? Most schools will provide pretzels or fruit or crackers. These are low in fat and children usually love them. Whenever I ask a question, I look first at what the intention is behind the question and answer. When it comes to children’s nutrition, I look at nourishing their cells fundamentally so that they can grow and develop at optimal rates.
A child fed with whole foods is able to learn, grow and share with more facility and soar at whatever their heart desires. It is up to us parents to make it fun, include them in our adventure and approach it with lightness and joy.
With that said, stable blood sugar is of the utmost importance for our children. If you can provide your children with snacks and meals which contain high quality raw, organic fats and proteins with sources of carbohydrates from vegetables, fruits, and whole (eventually sprouted) grains, you are setting the, up for success!
It is that easy. Really. Within that bit of advise there are millions of combinations available to you.
What is a high quality raw fat? These fats come from nuts, seeds and olives. Hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, brazil nuts, coconuts, olives, pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts, cashews, sesame seeds, pine nuts, walnuts, and the list goes on and on. When you buy these oils be sure that they are always first cold pressed, extra virgin and organic and you may notice that they are more expensive. Keep in mind that is an investment in your health. There is nothing more important. You are laying the foundation of health for your children. It matters, you matter and your choices matter.
What is high quality protein? There is a lot of debate over this topic in the health arena. Most important to note here is the pure reality that hormones, antibiotics and pesticides are being used. If you choose to eat meat and it does not say that it is hormone free, antibiotic free and grass fed, it is NOT! This is critical to understand.
Putting excess hormones in your children’s bodies contributes to cancer cell growth, premature adolescence, and contributes to exposing them to a host of other dangerous chemicals that cause long–term illness. This is serious. I mean it. If you choose meat and dairy products which are grass fed, organic, hormone and antibiotic free you are, as a consumer, changing the industry standards. Your choices have far reaching effects.
Consciously sourcing your protein sources is critical in the health of your children. Finding farmers is fun, it may take extra planning and may even be more expensive. But I encourage you to do this for the sake of mother earth, your body and your children’s bodies.
Soy is not considered a good source of protein. Tempeh, if eaten on occasion is acceptable but soy milk and tofu are not. This topic I will blog about on another occasion.
Please let me know if you have any questions. I love to hear your feedback on Facebook.
Key point:
Meals and snacks for kids containing high quality raw, organic fats and proteins with sources of carbohydrates from vegetables, fruits, and whole (eventually sprouted) grains are the best ever for you and your family.