What are Your Kids Eating?

Parents, let me encourage you today... Feed your kids well. I didn't say a lot, I said well. 

As most of you know, the percentage of overweight or obese children in America is on the rise. This is happening due to a number of lifestyle factors and I don't want to address them all. I want to address one major area in this blog post, Food!

Take a second to answer the questions below:

Who buys the food in your home? Parents or children
Who makes the choices of what foods are purchased at the store? Parents or children
Who normally prepares the food in your home? Parents or children

There are many areas in life that we have no control. There are also many areas in life that we do have control. I believe it's our responsibility to control what we can and then trust God to help with the rest. Notice I said responsibility, not optional or when we feel like it. 

The food that our kids eat at home is our responsibility as parents. We are the adults and we should be making the choices about what our family is consuming. If we prepare a healthy meal and the kids want junk, sorry kiddos, you eat what we've prepared. I'm old school in this way. You eat what's placed in front of you or you go to bed hungry. Believe me, giving in and feeding kids junk because they are "picky" is not doing them any favors. 

One rule that we follow in our household for the adults and for the children is the 90% rule. We eat healthy 90% of the time. The other 10% allows for a little flexibility and some "cheat foods" like pizza, burgers, or candy (insert whatever junk food you like). Many Americans flip this rule on it's head and eat junk 90% of the time while sprinkling in some "healthy stuff". 

We also try to make healthy meals fun by adding a lot of color (easy to do with fruits and veggies) and creativity. Every meal includes lean protein, good carbs, and good fats. When this becomes the norm for eating at your house, your children enjoy it and gain the health benefits. 

Let me close with this statement: "When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required." Luke 12:48b

Parents, we have been given and entrusted with much when we have children. This means that much is also required from us. Parenting isn't easy and we can't control everything, but we can control some things. Let us step up and take that responsibility seriously.