It’s completely understandable and acceptable that adults want to be healthy. After all as we get older we have to take more pains to ensure that we are fit and look good. When we were kids it seemed so much easier to get away with eating whatever we wanted. However, what most of us don’t realize is that the mistakes we make as kids with regards to our eating habits will haunt us for the rest of our lives.

With child obesity, child diabetes, and other related illness, statistics rising by the year, it is obvious that we should start taking nutrition seriously. It’s a common sense that children who learn good nutrition habits tend to keep these good habits throughout adulthood. To ensure that your kids remain healthy throughout, start cooking healthy for them without losing out on the taste factor.

Though there are still 24 hours in a day, parents find it more difficult to cook elaborate meals with wholesome goodness in a day time. Today, we are confronted by long working hours, long distances to commute and single parenthood. Even our kids are not spared from the daily pressures with all the homework, test, soccer games and social lives they have to maintain.

Thought it won’t be easy to keep kids away from the junk food all the time, it can be easy to incorporate healthy foods into their daily diets. Whether it is spaghetti, hamburgers or chicken that your kids like, there are always healthy alternatives which taste just as great and won’t harm your child’s health in the long run. The idea is not to make them realize they are eating healthy, because children have this inherent thought that makes them believe that healthy food is not tasty.

Here are a few recipes that your kids will love and that you will love to make for them:

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients:

• Cooked whole wheat spaghetti

For the sauce:

• 2 chopped onions

• 5 whole tomatoes

• 1 can tomato puree

• Oregano

• Salt

• Pepper

• Garlic

For the meat balls:

• 1 lb lean ground meat (chicken, beef or mutton)

• Half a chopped onion

• 1 clove garlic; chopped

• 1 piece of whole wheat bread (toasted)

• Chopped cilantro

• Salt

• Pepper

Preparation:

• Place onions and garlic in a non stick frying pan and cook until tender.

• Add the remaining ingredients like tomato puree, tomatoes, cilantro, salt, oregano and pepper until the tomatoes dissolve and the sauce thickens.

• Combine all ingredients for the meat balls. Crush the piece of toasted bread to make crumbs. Place all the ingredients and stir together. Make 1 in balls out of the mix. Bake the meat balls in an oven for 30 minutes or until meat is cooked and no longer pink.

• Once all parts are done pour the tomato sauce on the cooked spaghetti and serve with meat balls.

• Sprinkle some parmesan cheese if desired.

All children and most adults love pizza. However, it is not one of the healthiest dishes to eat. But, there are ways to fulfil your pizza needs without making your kids suffer in the long run.

• Slices of wheat bread

• Butter

• Pizza sauce

• Salami, pepperoni, chicken, or vegetables like corn and mushrooms

• Mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

• Butter the bread on one side. Put the buttered side down on the pan which you will use to grill the sandwich.

• Spread the pizza sauce on the bread topped by the veggies/meat. Put the cheese lastly and put the other piece of bread on it. Once the cheese melts your bread pizza is ready.

Rick Missimer

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