In fact, they state that by choosing foods from the range of colors found in the rainbow you can generally obtain most of the necessary vitamins and minerals recommended for a healthy diet.
"Rainbow" colored foods are easily found in the fruits and vegetables that are available in our grocery stores throughout the year. When you offer your kids an abundance of healthy food choices like those in the "food rainbow," while limiting their access to less nutritious pre-packaged "snack" goodies, you can feel reassured they are eating wholesome foods.
Great rainbow foods include:
*Bananas
*Summer squash
*Strawberries
*Oranges
*Carrots
*Sweet potatoes
*Tomatoes
*Red peppers
*Beets
*Grapes
*Blueberries
*Blackberries
*Spinach
*Kale
You may be surprised how easy it is to get your children to eat healthy food. We suggest you always have fresh fruit accessible to your kids at all times. You may also want to give your children "carte blanche" to snack on fruit anytime, without asking permission. At snacktime, cut up vegetables and serve with a tasty dip your children have helped you prepare.
Other ways to get rainbow foods into your kids' diet:
*Top breakfast cereals with cut-up banana or strawberries.
*Make yummy smoothies with frozen fruit and yogurt. Toss in a bit of kale for extra health (and your kids won't even notice!)
*Mix chopped fruit with jello.
*Start a vegetable garden. Children love eating what they've grown themselves!
How do you help your kids to try new foods when introducing healthy food choices? According to Contemporary Pediatrics, a new food needs to be served to children about ten times before most of them will accept it! Try introducing new foods at mealtimes, alongside some of their favorite foods. So when you serve a yummy spaghetti dinner, add a roasted vegetable medley on the side. The good news is that most children will eventually try it. Kids also say they are more likely to give a new food a try when they see their siblings or parents eat it.
That's right; you need to eat healthy foods, too! Your food choices are a very important opportunity, so teach your children by setting a good example.
Offer lots of good-tasting, healthy choices at snack and mealtimes and you will encourage your kids to make healthy eating part of their life habits. If you teach your children to make the right choices "most of the time," when they are away from you it is more likely that they will make healthy choices, too.
So remember to put a little color in their diet!
Healthy Foods For Kids
Today, many people are beginning to see the benefits of raw foods and because of this they are beginning to include more raw foods in their dinners than ever before. The definition of raw foods is of course foods that are uncooked and in their natural state. We have spent so many years frying, barbequing and baking our foods we have not even realized all the flavors and nutrition we cook away. More and more studies and reports are beginning to reach the public stating just how unhealthy it is to cook your vegetables and fruits. This is the number one way to lose the vitamins and nutrients you want to obtain through your diet.
There are two different categories of raw foods, suncooked and uncooked. Suncooked is referring to the fruits and that are ripened by the sun and uncooked refers to the vegetables which should be eaten in their natural state. Each of these has high nutritional value that includes vitamins, minerals and powerful antioxidants. During the summer months of the year are quite obviously the best time to get your raw fruits and vegetables because they are in season. The problem with vegetables and fruits which have been stored and processed for long period of time (during the winter months) is they lose a great deal of their nutritional value. Your option during this time of the year is to consume frozen fruits and vegetables.
Professional naturopathies today are stating that raw foods may be especially beneficial for children. As you can imagine it is vital for children of any age to receive the nutrients and vitamins they need through their diet and raw foods is the number one way to do this. Some of the benefits they will receive include:
Increased energy levels
The ability to maintain body weight
Regular and properly functioning digestive system
Greater ability to focusReduces the chance of different degenerative diseases in the future
Less frequent and intense colds
Experts recommend that the standard ratio for this type of diet is 75% raw foods and 25% cooked foods. This is a healthy way to obtain the meats required for a healthy diet and still make sure you are getting all you can from the raw foods. Now that you have a better understanding of what raw foods can do for you, it is time to discuss the benefits of organically produced fruits and vegetables.
If you are going to make a conscious effort to care for your own health and the health of your children than why not take it one step further? This means that thanks to the creation of organic fertilizers, you can now purchase these same raw fruits and vegetables without having to worry about the impact and long term effects of pesticides. This has been a long time running concern and today you can avoid it. In any grocery store you shop at you can find an organic section. Although the prices are a bit higher it is well worth the investment.
When children consume large amounts of pesticides and chemically based fertilizers through their foods they become at a higher risk for many different diseases and conditions. This is because these unwanted toxins build up in the body, especially the digestive tract and colon and cause blockages. These blockages can weaken your immune system and the only way to cleanse these toxins is through healthy eating.
One very important factor of raw foods that is destroyed through the cooking process is enzymes. Enzymes are essential for proper digestion and the ability to combat free radicals that may enter the body through the foods we eat and the air we breathe. When these enzymes are killed by the heat (55 degrees or warmer) your body can no longer absorb the foods you consume. The absolute best source of enzymes is through raw and natural foods in order to replenish your supply after eating cooked foods.
When you are cooking for your children it is important to think about what you are putting into their bodies. When you have the chance to fill them with nutrients and vitamins through their everyday meals you should take it. Our health is not something that should be taken for granted. If children spend their entire life eating healthy then they are bound continue down this healthy path as they get older.
Both Jennifer Mcvey & Randy Pike are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jennifer Mcvey has sinced written about articles on various topics from Computers and The Internet, Vitamin and Mineral Supplement and Dogs. Kathleen and Jennifer McVey have been preparing meals for kids for a combined 50+ years. Learn more of their tips, tricks and yummy recipes for children at
