“ I had nachos for lunch today mom!” said my daughter Ava, now 7.
… then seeing the horrified look on my face, ”But I had a salad yesterday!”
Oh, the dilemma of school lunches and eating out!
- Knowing about hidden GMO’s, HFCS, toxins, is a blessing and a curse.
- While Ava does have choices of salad and fruit every day along with other seemingly healthy options, my mind still races about the quality.
- Fitting in is important, I know eating different “healthy” options can be viewed as weird when you’re 7!
What’s a parent to do?
”Your daughter eats healthier than any kid I know!” said Nancy, a teacher and friend, as I was lamenting about Ava wanting to eat school lunches and her choices. “Ava eats mangoes, zucchini, kale chips, sushi, green smoothies, Mighty Maca… Most kids I teach don’t even know what these are!”
”Don’t forget she loves raw oysters!” I said
First of all, honestly, I didn’t think Nancy noticed what Ava ate! But she did. And it had made an impact that encouraged her and her niece to try more varieties of foods. That’s a tremendous side effect!
There is the social aspect of eating together and fitting in, as well as the choices and temptations that are in front of us that may lead to unhealthy eating. But, there’s also the benefit of exposing others to really wonderful foods and recipes too.
Wow! It works both ways! We know this but seeing it in action is really exciting.
So the real questions are,
- How do we empower children (and us) to make good choices and power up our system to detox well?
- How can we support our children in inspiring their community in healthier ways?
I’d love your suggestions! Please share with me, both as an individual and as a parent!
I have come to a happy compromise with the school lunch situation. I pack a great snack she loves, so at lunch, she can have a nutritious add-on, such as:
- Frozen organic blueberries
- Edamame
- Kale chips
- Mango chunks
- Banana with almond butter
A goal of mine this year is to have a few Green smoothie events in our local community. Anyone local who can spare some time, I could use your help.
Building a health-conscious community is key to helping ALL of us make healthier choices.
Wishing you a Vida Pura,
Dr. Anna Cabeca, DO, FACOG, ABAARM
