KJ Dell’Antonia recently asked this important question in her NYT blog: “How do you teach kids to eat well when you’re not with them?” It’s critical to guide your children’s food choices while they live at home, but what are the best strategies for sending them off to lead nutritionally sound lives?
So far, about 60 people responded to her query, and here is a summary of the best ideas. All of them are obvious, but with our nation’s exploding waistline, they bear a look.
— Cook and eat healthy, and exercise, yourself.
— Allow treats in moderation, don’t be overly restrictive.
— Don’t keep junk food in the house, and tell your children that your family doesn’t eat it because it’s not very good for you. They can have it sometimes when they’re out, but over the years they eat more at home than anywhere else and ultimately will identify most with that.
