Youth Indoctrination

Parents with older children will have a harder time re-indoctrinating their children to stray from the oily and salty side of the food industry, but parents with toddlers can start by replacing fast food with fruits and vegetables wherever and whenever they have the opportunity.  Establishing habits early and getting children used to foods that are natural and wholesome is important, especially natural sugars that come from fruits and vegetables.  It’s frightening the amount of candy being sold to kids disguised as fruit.

Health Ed

Teach your children to exercise more and to read nutrition labels when buying drinks and snacks if they can’t be provided with a healthy alternative beforehand.  Get them to see the amount of extra sugar that is in the drinks and snacks being advertised to them on television every day, more so because your children and their peers will inevitably share some of the snacks they brought.

Food Police

Kids will beg, plead and throw a tantrum before begging some more, but if parents stay level-headed and steely-eyed, bad food can be kept out of the home or kept in moderation.  Seeing as how all the money for groceries comes from the parents, the parents have all the control.  With the exception of junk foods that adults can’t live without, keeping junk food and fast food out of sight and out of mind isn’t all that hard when it comes out of your pocketbook.

Early Start

Eating habits are started and laid down at home, and as children age, their habits will change, but if a foundation of healthy eating can be established early, even children will see past the advertising, the sugary snacks, the convenience stores and all the fast food in town.


Sources:
ScienceDirect.com
CBC
NY Times