Are you the parent of a young child who you would like to eat healthy? If you are, you may be interested in introducing your child to organic foods. Unfortunately, for some parents this can be easier said than done. If you are finding it difficult to introduce your toddler or preschooler to organic foods, please continue reading on, as a number of helpful tips are highlighted below.
One way to help your child get use to eating organic foods is to not tell them that they are doing so right away. Of course, you want your child to know that they are eating healthy and it is important for children to know what organic foods are, but you may want to wait until your child has already decided that they like eating organic, which they should. This is important for toddlers and preschoolers, as some may be turned away by the word "organic," especially if it is a new word for them. There is really no reason why you need to tell your child that they are eating organic soap, when you could just simply say soup.
Introducing your child, especially young children, to organic foods slowly is another great approach. If you are making the switch to organic foods, consider making it a transition, instead of a traditional switch. Although your child will likely not be able to tell the difference in organic foods, some children are able to do so. This is where there are benefits to slowly introducing a child to organic foods. For example, start with snacks or one meal a day, such as an organic breakfast.
Speaking of snacks, they are a great way to get your child excited about eating organic foods. Did you know that there are a number of organic snacks, many of which are designed for toddlers and preschoolers? There are. For example, Earth's Best Organic offers fruit snack bars, organic cookies, and organic crackers. Also, most of their products for toddlers and preschoolers come with Sesame Street themes. Snacks are a positive and fun way to introduce young children to organic foods. Also, consider offering your child a reward for eating all or most of their organic meals. This is great for picky eaters. What you can do is offer an organic cookie or an organic cracker as a reward if all or most of your child's lunch or dinner is eaten.
Another easy, yet fun way to get your child excited about eating organically is by letting them help you shop. This is ideal if you will be doing your shopping locally. When using this approach, it is best to visit a specialty organic food store, as no matter what your child chooses it should be healthy and natural. For smaller children, point them in the right direction. For example, set your child in the cereal aisle if you are looking to buy cereal, and so forth.
The above mentioned ways are just a few of the many ways that you can successfully introduce your child to organic foods. These approaches are ideal for those at the toddler and preschool levels. Many find that this is the age range that is most difficult to make the switch to organic foods, as many children at this age dislike change, especially where their food is concerned.
With the large amounts of toxins in the inorganic foods we eat, we all need to eat organic whenever possible. Every time that you choose conventionally farmed foods or processed foods over organic, you are increasing your cumulative exposure to chemicals and raising your risk of disease.
For example, consider the differences between regular dairy cows and cows at an organic dairy farm. The cows at a regular dairy are given hormone shots, antibiotics, and live in very poor conditions. The average lifespan of a dairy cow is about seven or eight years compared to the lifespan of 16 years for a cow that is well-cared for.
Cows at an organic dairy are not given any hormone shots or any antibiotics. They are allowed to graze on grassy pastures. They therefore give milk that is not tainted with chemicals, hormones and infections.
By eating organic produce, meats and dairy, you are saving your body from the toxins found in the inorganic produce, meat and dairy. Research has shown that children who regularly eat organic foods have lower levels of toxic chemicals in their bodies than those who only eat conventional foods. Those toxins build up in our systems and can cause a variety of diseases.
Farmers, dairies, and processing plants that use the label "organic" have followed certain criteria prescribed by the government. Only those food items that are truly organic can be labeled as such. By purchasing organic items you can be assured that care has been taken to ensure there are no chemicals or other toxins in the food.
Most commercial meats including pork and beef, unless organic, contain antibiotics, hormones and too many polyunsaturated fats. Therefore, they should all be avoided. The cleanest food is organic food, period.
Of all the meats, it is most important to get organic chicken. Chickens are the most intensely farmed meats and are therefore given chemicals to make them grow faster and bigger. Good organic chicken is full of iron, zinc and vitamin B12, vitamins and minerals that are very important to good health.
One of the best things you can do for your body is to eat at least twelve servings of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables every single day. By eating the certified organic versions of these foods you will benefit from their energy-boosting power even more than eating inorganic.
Studies done on organic produce versus inorganic have shown that organic vegetables contain significantly increased amounts of vitamins and minerals when compared to inorganic produce. Therefore, you can eat smaller servings and still get much more of the vitamins and minerals you need each day than if you ate inorganic.
Today the variety of organic food is astounding. A partial list of organic foods available includes oats, butter, eggs, wheat flour, sugar, milk, meats, and many fruits and vegetables.
For people who enjoy a little dessert, there's nothing unhealthy about a cake made with whole wheat flour, organic butter, free-range eggs - as long as you don't eat the lot at one sitting. Choose organic when you can for ingredients such as sugar, flour, oats, fruits including candied and dried fruits, milk, eggs, and butter.
Organic items often cost more, but the costs of not eating organic can be even bigger as you will likely have higher healthcare bills and a lifetime of disease and illness.
Both Jasper Sayer & Carol Stack 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.
Jasper Sayer has sinced written about articles on various topics from Dieting, Gardening and Lose Weight. Read about and. Jasper Sayer's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.
Carol Stack has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Fishing and Fitness. Carol Stack has written numerous articles on and related subjects. She lives in the United States with her husband, three children, and various dogs and. Carol Stack's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.