Should We Ban Junk Foods?

According to the Ottawa Citizen which is a newspaper published in Canada there is a movement afoot to ban the advertising of junk foods in order to reduce obesity in the 'under thirteen' group of children.
This was motivated by a study done by a progressive kid's doctor named Dr. McKeown who is the chief medical officer of health in Toronto, Ontario. This doctor is saying that kid's eating patterns influence how and what they eat as an adult and this has a life long consequence in terms of their health. No kidding! The kid that eats pizza in front of the television now is probably still going to be in the habit of doing that when they are thirty-five.
So the idea is that you have to get your children eating healthy now, which is something that I wholeheartedly agree with. It is why I cook so much with my children now. I am trying to teach them healthy eating habits they can take with them for the rest of their life. By teaching them how to cut carrots, make muffins and create other healthy foods I am also teaching them how to stay healthy and live a long life (as well as how to not spend a mint on food.)
Dr. McKeown is like the Michael Moore of kid's food and his banning of junk food is an idea that is way ahead of its time. It is probably not going to happen but this doctor is going to try to get rid of unhealthy foods that are marketed to kids in Canada.
The doctor's attempts to lobby the Canadian government seem to be scaring the junk food companies as quite recently sixteen of Canada’s largest candy, fast-food and soft-drink companies promised not to advertise directly to children under 12, or to market only healthy snacks (like milk) to them. This is at least a start. I would think that banning junk foods and instant foods in cafeterias would also be the next logical step.
I for one thing think that this is a great idea as I am sick of seeing kids falling for the idea that certain foods are healthy when really they are not. There are lots of foods out there being marketed as being nutritious when really they are quite unhealthy. For instance many of the drinks out there that are called a good source of Vitamin C are actually full of sugar. The same goes for many different types of cereals. I am half expecting to see a commercial soon that goes â€“ 'Ice cream- A good source of calcium!' Or how about 'Coca-Cola â€“ a natural source of real cane sugar!'
Banning the advertising of junk food certainly would be a start. This measure would also make my kids less demanding every time we go to the grocery store. Currently they are always asking for foods that are just not that good for them.

Parenting Tips
Canada, children, healthy, idea, kids, Michael Moore, Ottawa Citizen

Why Cooking With You Is Good For Kids

According to a show I watched on ABC ( the Dish Network) recently about cooking with your kids there is a lot more to it than just teaching them a life skill that they can use the rest of their lives. There are also many other benefits.

Learning to cook with me could increase a kid's vocabulary in general. They learn more exotic terms like baste or agitate or steam. They also learn a fair amount of math especially when it comes to using the measuring cups and measuring spoons. Studies have been done at Harvard that also prove that parents that who have a little bit of dinner conversation with their children tend to raise kids who are smarter and have larger vocabularies.

Letting your kid cook with you makes he or she feel trusted and like you know that they can achieve great things. Cooking is confidence building. They feel the sense of accomplishment and feel like they are contributing to the family. Furthermore it is a chance during a very busy day to spend quality time with your kids. It is important to view them as help in the kitchen and not as a liability so this can work. Remember it is key to teach your kid the value of teamwork and the joys of giving and sharing.

By doing this and sitting down together for a meal you train your kids not to eat in front of the television. Kids that don't eat in front of the boob tube have more respect for their bodies, as they are more aware of what they are putting into it.

Another good aspect is that if you make an agreement with yourself to cook with your kids more you will find yourself spending less time with them in restaurants. Making your own junk food is also cheaper and economical.

Nutritionally eating and cooking with your kids is also superior, as you are not generally eating junk food while you are cooking. Usually home cooked meals are low in calories and fat. By feeding them at home you are also teaching your kid to have a discerning food palate and crave more than one kind of food. They also become more manually dexterous and are more likely to be able to be trusted with a cooking implement like a knife when you are not around as they have had some practice using it.

Educationally kids can use organizational and creative talents while cooking. Decorating a cake or making a pizza usually involves a bit of a visual sense or the food will look unattractive. Kids also become more sensual as adults as they learn an appreciation and respect for food through its sounds, smells, tastes and textures.

Parenting Tips
ABC, children, cooking, Dish Network, eat, kids, respect, rest, yourself