Combat child obesity with a home-cooked meal
Categories: Eating & nutrition, Medical conditions, In the news, Mealtime
I'm one of those moms that cares a lot about the food my family eats. Even as food costs rise, we've cut back in other areas in our budget so that we can continue to buy organic and locally grown meat and produce.
But by far, the most important thing I do to ensure that my family eats healthy, well-balanced meals is to COOK. That is why I found myself particularly peeved as I read a Time Magazine cover story entitled "How America's Children Packed on the Pounds."
In summing up the answer to the dilemma presented in the cover story title, the author describes "a long multifront war" on childhood obesity as such: "Parents are fighting it in the home....... Policymakers are fighting it as they study the growing body of research..... Doctors are fighting it as they deal daily with the ills associated with childhood obesity. And perhaps most important, teachers, mentors, and public role models are fighting it as they help kids navigate a culture that fosters fat but idealizes thin....".
Teachers, mentors, and public role models are the most important front in this war??!! I have a serious problem with the assigned hierarchy. In fact, this mentality, which inevitably leads to millions of wasted tax dollars, makes my blood boil!
A child's food preferences, habits, and his/her relationship with food are determined at HOME. Teachers, mentors, and public role models (whatever that means) can do precious little once the mold is set.
If America thinks that real solutions to childhood obesity lie in government campaigns such as the $125 million "VERB" campaign aimed at preteens and featuring Miley Cyrus, they are either grossly naive or, more likely, in serious denial. The campaign's budget was eventually slashed, which Time Magazine described as the government "dropping the ball."
Actually, parents are the ones "dropping the ball." We don't need another million-dollar government study to figure out that childhood obesity increased at about the same time that the once sacred family meal became optional and even non-existent in some homes.
If your child is a latch-key kid who heats up his dinner in the microwave or if eating take-out in the car on the way to soccer practice has replaced good food and conversation around the family table, you may have a genuinely good reason for your family's meal arrangements. And that's fine by me.
My problem is not with your particular arrangement (to each his own), but rather with our national denial. We blame McDonalds, school lunches, commercials, video games, the government -- the list goes on.
To combat childhood obesity, kids don't need government funded celebrity campaigns or mentors as much as they need parents who take the time to plan and cook nutritious meals that family members are expected to attend.
Why do we insist on complicating things so much? It's the family meal, stupid.
For more information about Rachel, visit her website at www.rachelcamposduffy.com.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tricia 7-01-2008 @ 9:33AM
Two words are the main issue of childhood obesity: processed foods.
Advertising and television are other culprits. My oldest watches tv in the morning for 30 minutes (per day). She BEGS for lunchables which I refuse to buy. I'll die before feeding my kids that crap.
We were discussing on Sunday what she would bring for lunch at camp this summer. She said "lunchable" - just to get the raised eyebrows look. I said "OK, which lunchable would you want?" She wanted the cheese pizza one.
So I made my own! A half of a whole wheat pita for the crust. Organic sauce and low fat mozzarella cheese. Watermelon and homemade pudding rounded out the lunch.
She was SO excited to show her friends her own "lunchable". Granted it didn't have the fancy packaging but it was a heck of a lot healthier than the junk in the store.
This is my child with food aversion issues with textures: we couldn't get her to eat meat (steak, chicken breast, etc) for the longest time. But she loves wraps so I started chopping her portion of meat with a pampered chef food chopper and giving it to her on a whole wheat pita. And now she'll eat it! We're both happy: her because she doesn't have to chew the meat; me because she's eating something healthy AND it has protein.
I've found that if I keep freshly washed grapes in the fridge along with fresh cut fruit (watermelon, pineapple, etc) both girls will choose that before the processed foods now.
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Mary 7-01-2008 @ 10:47AM
I find it interesting that everyone is jumping on the organic bandwagon. I sat next to a professor from Cornell University that works with animals, etc. he said he wouldn't go near organic products. They're not regulated the way regular food is and covered with just as much disgusting waste as the regular food. I'd seriously think about cutting costs there. It's just not worth it.
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the goddess anna 7-01-2008 @ 11:07AM
I don't always buy organic produce, but we do buy some organic boxed food. Yes, it's more expensive, but it doesn't contain all of the weird chemicals and preservatives as the normal stuff. Like Annie's Mac and Cheese, or cookies (as an occasional treat). We do buy organic milk, as one of my twins has a reaction to ordinary milk. To save money, the kids simply drink less milk (and get calcium from other sources).
Whether my raw fruits and veggies come from the farmer's market or the grocery store, I wash everything. It's common sense, and it's not that hard to wash the dirt off an organic tomato (but hard to wash wax off an apple!).
My kids eat more healthy than I do, and I'm proud of them when they tell me to drink more water. If you start early enough, then it's easy for kids to make the right choices. Besides, people still eat white bread? That stuff has no taste! (Yes, I know people like it, my inlaws included.)
Laura 7-01-2008 @ 10:54AM
AMEN!
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julie 7-01-2008 @ 11:43AM
I completely agree with you Rachel. Good eating habits start at home.
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Lesha 7-01-2008 @ 12:15PM
Here! Here! Personal responcibility has all but flown out the door it seems.
And to think, the daycare director at my son's daycare gave me a hard time when I pressed the issue of bringing in my own home made, non-processed snacks and lunches for him instead of leaving him to eat mac and cheese and tater tots. I may not be with him all day, but I will certainly still do my best to be sure his eating habits grow healthy and not conveniently.
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Jenn 7-01-2008 @ 3:56PM
I agree. However we don't do the organic thing. Really at this time I can't see a good reason to. With the prices set too high and the gas prices rising by the time I get to the market I don't have the extra money for the organic. We do go to the farmers markets when they are open and I do try to make balanced meals but the more hectic the schedule the more tempted I am to give in to a fast food meal that I don't have to prepare and cook on days that I just can't manage the time. It all starts at home really. When you have kids you have to direct them. Look back everything you did in life in one way or another was a product of how your parents or gaurdian directed you.
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Jessica 7-01-2008 @ 7:01PM
Hi Rachel,
I have been reading your blog for a while now and this is the first time I am posting. I love your blog and really enjoy reading it. I agree with you 100 percent on this post. We sit down as a family every night and eat a home cooked meal. We too buy organic. Yes, it is expensive but we also cut back on other things in our budget. We also NEVER eat fast food. It is our responsibility as parents to teach our children the right habbits. It starts at home. My daughter is 4 and once she starts kindergarten, I will be sending her lunch with her so that she can continue to eat healthy food while away from home.
Jessica
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Jessica 7-01-2008 @ 7:08PM
Hi Rachel,
I have been reading your blog for a while now and this is the first time I am posting. I love your blog and really enjoy reading it. I agree with you 100 percent on this post. We sit down as a family every night and eat a home cooked meal. We too buy organic. Yes, it is expensive but we also cut back on other things in our budget. We also NEVER eat fast food. It is our responsibility as parents to teach our children the right habbits. It starts at home. My daughter is 4 and once she starts kindergarten, I will be sending her lunch with her so that she can continue to eat healthy food while away from home.
Jessica
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Chere 7-02-2008 @ 10:01AM
Hi Rachel,
I totally agree with you. We have a responsibilty to our children to teach them healthy eating habits, it would be wonderful if the schools would make sure their foods were healthier, but if you do not like what they serve then have your child bring their lunch. My daughter goes to daycare and i pack her lunch everyday, one reason is she is picky and I don't want her to not eat and the other reason is I don't want her eating greasy food that is unhealthy for her.
I had the same issue as Leesha did with my daughter's daycare they gave me a hard time about not buying lunch even telling me they had no room in the refrigerator, so we had to get the cool packs to bring her lunch in, but I did it. I refused to give into buying her lunch when I know she won't be having a healthy meal.
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SimplyPractical 7-02-2008 @ 1:09PM
Really? Am I the only one who thinks Rachel is off the mark? I don't have any problem with the sentiment, but I take real issue with how it's presented.
"If your child is a latch-key kid who heats up his dinner in the microwave or if eating take-out in the car on the way to soccer practice has replaced good food and conversation around the family table, you may have a genuinely good reason for your family's meal arrangements. And that's fine by me."
Would you accept that if this woman said that to your face? We're not all blessed with DA husbands who make enough money to employ numerous babysitters.
No, it's obviously not "fine by you," so let's not be condescending. Your faux-acceptance of everyone is pitiful. Stop candy-coating your Conservative holier-thant-thou values behind immature attempts at humor, grow a backbone, and just say it.
It will still be patronizing, judgemental garbage, but at least it won't be littered with sucker-punches at many of the people you claim to "accept."
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