Most of us have seen the alarming studies out there. For the first time in history, the life expectancy of the next generation is lower than that of their parents.

I was upset when I saw these findings, but not surprised. Just look around you. In today’s society, it is the norm for parents to be “too busy” to cook healthy meals. Children are being raised on processed foods laden with hydrogenated fats and chemical preservatives. “French fries” are the number one vegetable eaten in the United States (they call that a vegetable?!). Meals are being eaten on the run. Fast food is commonplace, and “going out to play” has been replaced with video games and movie rentals. Is it any wonder we are in this situation?

Most adults would rather not deal with it; it is easier to pretend everything is all right and just put some chicken nuggets in the microwave and call it dinner. It’s easier to let the kids stare at a movie than to take them outside to a park. Change needs to happen and it needs to start at home with nourishing food and physical activity.

So where do we begin? Let’s talk about feeding our kids.  What is healthy for kids is basically what is healthy for all of us: a diet rich in nutrients from whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and a healthy amount of fat. A healthy goal is to feed your children “real” food the majority of the time (a pop-tart is NOT real food!). You want to choose foods as close to their natural state as possible. Fruits and vegetables are an obvious choice. Have you ever noticed the way kids will eat fruit and raw vegetables all cut up when they are sitting in front of them? Keep some around and watch what happens.

Breakfast is very important! Serve whole grain cereals instead of sugary ones, a bagel with peanut butter, or oatmeal. Use skim milk versus whole. When eating meat, choose chicken and fish over beef and pork. Make sure that the meat is not the center of the meal, but more of an accompaniment served with vegetables and a whole grain pasta or rice. Serve a salad with dinner to really boost the nutrition of the meal. Choose vinaigrette type dressings over creamy ones. When using lunchmeat, choose turkey, and avoid the processed meats like salami or bologna; and avoid white bread. One very big step in the right direction is to clean out the home environment. If there are cookies and ice cream in the house, the kids are going to eat it. Now, I’m not saying that you and your kids should never have a treat like cookies or ice cream, but there is no reason for unhealthy, sugary and fatty foods to be in the house on a regular basis. There are many better choices out there, like yogurt, whole grain pretzels, whole grain bagels or celery with peanut butter, air popped popcorn, baked tortilla chips and salsa, frozen yogurt, and fruit dipped in Cool Whip, just to name a very few.

Use the changes you make in the kitchen as a learning experience for the whole family. Educate your kids on the difference between healthy food and empty calories (junk food). Teach them how to read food labels and what to look for. Get them involved, and make it fun! Kids love to learn, and this is a lesson that they will take with them and use throughout their lifetime. Remember that you are your child’s role model. They hear what you say, and they watch what you do. Set the example you wish for them to follow.