Community Corner

Discussion: How Do You Raise Your Children to be Healthy Eaters?

Weigh in on this week's topic in the comments section below.

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council will take your questions, give advice and share solutions on parenting topics. And we want all of you moms, dads, grandparents and families to join the discussion too.

Moms Talk will be the place to drop in to hear what your neighbors think about the latest parenting topics, or to find resources or ask a question. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today. 

(You can  and e-mail me at abby@patch.com if you'd like to join the council, or suggest a topic for next week's discussion.)

Find out what's happening in Lexingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Today's Discussion Topic: How Do You Raise Children to be Healthy Eaters?

When I was a kid, my dad loved to joke that I was not only a member of the Picky Eaters Club, but also the president. There were times when I wasn't allowed to leave the dinner table until I'd eaten my vegetables, and candy and other sweets were limited. At some point I learned that not all vegetables are yucky, and that eating healthy foods makes my body feel stronger.

Find out what's happening in Lexingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

What are your struggles, successes and stories for getting your children to eat healthy food? Is it a matter of what you stock your refrigerator with, or do you aim to provide healthy meals that also taste great? Where do you stand on eating organic? Do you have conversations with your kids about making healthy choices when they're away from home?  

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Moms Council Member Audra Myerberg Weighs In: 

There are three things that I do not compromise on when it comes to my kids…sleep, education and food. You would be surprised at all of the things that fall under those three subjects. Healthy eating has been a hot topic in the news recently, from Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign to Jaime Oliver’s Food Revolution to the organic food movement.

One thing is for sure, parents across the world struggle to get their kids to eat healthy food. I thought about this a lot before I had my children, and decided this was as good a time as any to improve my cooking skills and healthy eating habits. If my children are exposed to healthy food and see me and my husband eating healthy food, we are one step closer to getting them to eat it.

In our home, we buy as much organic as our budget will allow, expose the kids to our local CSA, limit treats (we alternate fruit for dessert with low-sugar desserts because, let’s face it, it’s out there and kids need to learn moderation), eat dinner together every night, bypass fast food restaurants and cook together.

We talk about junk food vs. grow food and how eating too much junk can affect your body. We try lots of new foods and tell the kids unless they at least try it they can’t say they do not like it, and also ask them for their suggestions for menu ideas.

There are lots of great websites out there but one I find helpful is http://kidshealth.org. They have a recipes section that offers ideas for kids with eating challenges too. Our biggest challenge these days are from outside influences (school, play dates, vacations) where the kids see other kids eating poorly and wonder why they can’t have a lollypop for breakfast. That may be a whole other topic for discussion.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Lexington