Obesity and metabolic diseases are prevalent among kids these days. Instilling healthy eating habits as early as possible can help lower the risks of dietary imbalances, most especially obesity. In order to start your child’s journey to healthy eating habits, you might want to introduce healthier versions of common meals at home. Here are four ways to cook healthier meals.
- Steam. This method of cooking eliminates the extra oils and fats that are added to the food, as in the case of frying. Steaming is much more preferable to boiling, because the large quantity of water that is used when you boil food usually dissolves and strips the vitamins and minerals. Steaming also imparts a much more appetizing look to the food compared to what boiling does. Boiling produces soggy foods. Steaming, when done properly, retains the shape and color of the food, making it more appetizing. Serve steamed food with healthy dressings and low-fat sauces.
- Serve raw. Raw is generally the best way to go when it comes to serving fresh fruits and vegetables. Simply wash, slice, and serve. You can fix dinner in a few minutes if your family likes to feast on raw foods. You can even experiment with healthy dips to accompany raw slices of vegetables. Salads are wholesome, light, and very nutritious. The textures and flavors of raw foods are delicious, though this serving method may not be ideal for toddlers. Half-cooked baby carrots, fish, and greens are preferable. You can also try smoothies; just don’t add sugar or pre-packaged juices.
- Serve whole foods instead of processed ones. Processed foods are convenient because they can be served right out of the container. The downside is that the processing has robbed the food of its essential nutrients. Thus, food manufacturers resort to fortifying their processed foodstuff. As much as possible, serve whole foods you have bought from the farmer’s market.
- Use natural spices. When you season your food at home so that your kids will like them, you must also use natural and preferably organic spices. Do not forget that herbs are inexpensive and add zing to any meal. After all, you have made a lot of effort to buy healthy fruits, greens, and meat. Skimping on the quality of the spices that you use defeats your main goal of giving healthy foods to your kids.
So, whip up a plateful of delicious and healthy meals for your family using the above four methods.
By K. Ong
Cooking Healthier Meals for Your Kids