"...the key dietary messages are stunningly simple. Eat less, move more, eat more fruits and vegetables and don't eat too much junk food. It's no more complicated than that."
--Marian Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H., Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University
March is National Nutrition Month. Enjoy delicious
meals that you and your kids cook together at home.
Start by planning a trip to your local farmers market and letting the
kids pick out some locally grown vegetables.
Create a meal around fresh, locally grown and organic (where available) vegetables, add
some quinoa, lentils or black rice and enjoy a great meal together.
Cooking teaches kids that real
food does not come from boxes with ingredients you cannot
pronounce. When you cook meals together with
your kids, you teach them about the value of teamwork. When you sit down together at the family
dinner table, you teach them about respect, communication, and family values.
One of the key lessons we teach in our
Growing Healthy Kids programs is about respecting the people who grow
our food and respecting ourselves enough to eat good foods instead of processed
foods filled with added sugars, salt, and fat.
After all, why eat foods that will only make us sick? When I
ask kids if they have any friends who stay home from school because of stomach
aches, they all raise their hands. Is it
possible kids have digestive issues because they are being fed highly
processed foods filled with sugar and refined flour but containing no dietary
fiber? Yes.
Parents, our children, like us, deserve
to eat food that not only tastes good but is good for you. Life is too short to do otherwise! Plan to do more cooking at home. If you need help with a recipe, let me know (email me at wellness@growinghealthykids.org).
Here is a so, so simple recipe your kids can
help you make for dinner. Add a green salad and grilled cheese sandwiches on
whole grain bread and you have a delicious, healthy meal your kids will love! TIP FOR SAVING MONEY: Stock up on canned tomatoes when they are on sale.
GROWING HEALTHY KIDS: Our Recipe Collection
DIVINE
TOMATO SOUP
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 28-ounce can Italian tomatoes (preferably San Marzano tomatoes)
- 1 cup low fat chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Saute onion in the butter and olive
oil about 5-6 minutes on medium heat, or until onions become translucent. Add the dried basil and cook another
minute. Add tomatoes and chicken broth. Cook at least 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend soup to
desired texture. Add salt and pepper,
to taste. A few minutes before serving,
add cream. Stir and serve. Garnish with fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan cheese, if desired.
With love and gratitude,
Nancy L. Heinrich, MPH
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.
