Most toddlers are fussy with what they will eat, that’s a given, so we normally shrug it off as a faze and hope they grow out of it. As they get older the importance of educating our kids on health and nutrition is fundamentally important. We unfortunately live in a world where convenience food is cheap and easy to get hold of – two minutes in the microwave and ‘Bing! It’s ready!’
UK Childhood Obesity Statistics state – 9.9% of reception age children (age 4-5) are obese, a further 13.1% are overweight. At age 10-11 (year 6), 21% are obese and 14.1% are overweight.
There are many benefits for spending a little bit of time in the kitchen with your kids and teaching them about the different types of foods and vegetables (especially the locally grown fruit and veg). Not only will your kids be using their senses – touch, taste, smell, but they will also develop their skills in reading recipes, following directions, measuring and time keeping.
If your kids love beef burgers, why not swap them for a leaner and healthier turkey burger. You can still throw in a bit of cheese, so they do not think their missing out!
Meal planning and shopping around for your ingredients will help keep the costs down. Batch cooking and freezing your meals will help in the days when you are busy and have little time to cook.
Spaghetti bolognaise, chilli and chicken fajitas are a few low costs family meals that are easy to make and delicious. So, enjoy your family time together, get cooking and don’t forget to share your pictures with #dorsetspotlight
