EARLY START FOR YOUNG FOODIES

Kids are more likely to try foods that they can take ownership of by preparing them, than those that are just plopped in front of them during meal times

GETTING kids into the kitchen to help us cook is one of the easiest ways to foster a love of food.

Children are more likely to try foods that they can take ownership of by preparing them than those that are just plopped in front of them during meal times.

By the time kids are about 12 years old, they are quite self–sufficient and able to take on more tasks in the kitchen with less supervision from mum and dad.

Involving the whole family is the best way to promote better eating habits and healthy activities for your kids.

A whole family approach means that everyone — parents and kids alike — works together as a team to achieve good health and wellbeing. As with any team, there is a leader or coach — and that’s you.

Lead by example. Adult family members are important role models for healthy eating and exercise. Talk about why you eat fruit as a snack, take an exercise class and go for walks.

Start them young. Don’t wait until your child is at an unhealthy weight to institute good eating and activity habits. It’s much easier to maintain a healthy weight than to lose pounds later.

Be active together. Make it a routine for the family to be active, not sedentary. Being active as a family allows kids to expend energy in a positive way, and adults get the health benefits, too.

Cook together. Cooking more meals at home can help you take charge of what you’re eating and better monitor exactly what goes into your food. Start with small changes.

You don’t have to make drastic changes to your cooking all at once. You might start by adding one or two healthier recipes into your weekly rotation.

It may not be possible to do it every day, but invite kids into the process of preparing food. Little kids can learn math skills by measuring and they’ll begin to understand the chemistry of cooking.

They’ll also gain an understanding of healthy ingredients. Kids should taste and try different fruits and vegetables in a variety of ways.

This means roasted, raw, pureed, frozen, dried and so on.

That way, kids can learn to enjoy the taste of different foods and mature their palate in a way that will prime them for tasting and trying more. Even young children can help you pick fresh herbs from their stems.

Older kids will enjoy having the authority to choose and prepare foods they like and will be more likely to eat what they’ve made. It might even inspire them to make healthy choices of their own.

Eat together. Eating a meal as a family sends the right messages about nutrition. Kids will see their parents eating healthy food and may want to try new foods. They’ll also see mealtime as a time for socialising and sharing.

Parents get a chance to offer nutritious food, note their kids’ likes and dislikes, and talk about daily triumphs and troubles.

This weekend, get the children into the kitchen and have a fun time preparing a very simple recipe.

All kids love pasta and this a very colourful and easy-to-prepare dish.

The twists and spirals of tricolour pasta allow it to embrace both refined and simple sauces.