6 Ways to Bee a Cleaner Eater - Creative Kidzzz Cafe

Taking charge of your meal planning can be easier when we know the business or family values for Cultural Integrity as a teacher, parent, caregiver.  Here are 6 ways to eat healthier and to wear the Bee a Cleaner Eater sticker each day.

1.  Empower- Teach your children to want home cooked meals over fast food by making them kitchen chefs .  This will empower your choices of foods, ingredients, preservatives and show them that kitchen time is smart fun time together.

2.  Balance- Make 1/3 of their plate fruit and vegetables with smaller meat portions that are farm raised/ grass fed, hormone free and antibiotic free.  "Refined" grains will add good oils in their meal that are essential for growth and development.  Fear is how picky eaters begin, so make sure portion balance, fresh and smart foods is what you role model and not the fear of toxic, poisonous, yucky preservatives or chemicals in their food at a young age.  Plenty of time to ease this in at an appropriate age group.  We want to create smart/independent eaters not fearful non-eaters.
   
3.  Awareness- Teach your children to be aware of the ingredients that are used in their meal by Beeing Self-Helpful during meal time.  How we do this is role modeling home cooking that will empower their selective preferences and food choices by critically thinking and problem solving.  If they visually see and prepare in a good natural home cooking environment every day, they will grow to want to know what they are eating when they're  eating out as well.  Rather than eating just anything quick and fast food. 

4.  Resourceful- Knowing where your food ingredients are grown, shipped and how fresh can help to eat cleaner. Take your children to the farmers markets, apple or pumpkin picking locally and asking questions when grocery shopping will role model good responsible food selections naturally and instill their own family values confidently when they are adults.

5.  Simple- Keep what you drink simple as water.  Start your children, as early as the bottle, that water plays a huge part of their diet.  This simple survival source will reduce tooth decay, reduce mucous, reduce allergies, reduce illnesses and can replenish the cells to do their jobs in their growing bodies.  So, drink water, water and more water. 

What about the increase amount of dirty diapers and bed wetting?  No brainer, children come first.  Children will potty train when their bodies are physically able to do this ability in their development.  There are no two children alike in their physical growth and development as well.  Relax, they will thank you later.  Tip:  Use the best method of diapering that fits your lifestyle, so your child will stay healthy and happy.

6.  Share-  When your children learn to share their meal time with others and sit down longer when eating, they will want to eat good food ingredient choices at the same time.  Kitchen tables are becoming a thing of the past, but we can empower our children to appreciate and value their table time by sharing good positive conversations and selective preferences with each other.  Teach them how to set the table.  While preparing to gather at the table will instill welcoming sitting down together with friends and family and to share this time together.
Enjoy! 
Deb Barnes
Early Childhood Specialized Curriculum Consultant, Teacher and Tutor
Free Consultation:  ChildrenFirstCurriculumUSA@gmail.com
*ECE Connections:  Natural Learning Through Play.  Didn't mom teach us not to play with our food?  Well, we have come a long way baby!  Cooking in the kitchen with your children will not only instill good family values for a healthy lifestyle as an adult, but will connect with so many wonderful learning experiences too.  (Math, Geometry, Measurements, Shapes, Sorting, Counting, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Science, Technology, Researching, Language & Literacy, Reading, Symbols, Letter Identification, Writing, Perceptive Communication, Receptive Communication, Color Identification, Arts, Creative Thinking, Fine & Gross Motor Skills, Social & Emotional, Sensory, Manners, Self-Esteem Building & Self-Confidence Building, Self-Help Building, Selective Preference, Self-Control Building, Sharing)
Have I forgotten any?  If I have, I will add as we go along.