As moms, most of us feel like one of our biggest jobs is to protect our kids from external forces – strangers, bullies, accidents, etc. But I’m beginning to believe that one of the most important things we can do for our kids is teach them how – and what – to eat. As the news about childhood obesity gets worse and worse, knowing how to stay fit becomes that much more critical for your child’s long-term health and happiness.
Recently, Oprah did a show about teenagers struggling with obesity. If you didn’t see it, you can go to her website and read about it. (Click here to go to the article.) I saw the show and it was heartbreaking. Some of these kids were so emotionally distraught about being overweight (and the teasing that comes with it) that they were nearly suicidal.
So when I saw this newly-released book about what to feed kids – and what not to feed kids – I snatched it up. You may want to do the same. It’s called Eat This, Not That – For Kids, by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding. This book is a follow-up to the book “Eat This, Not That,” which published a few years ago. The new book is geared especially for kids and parents trying to make better food choices.
What I love about this version is that it gets right to the point, and it even helps those of us who like to eat out now and then. The book tells you the “20 Worst Kids’ Foods in America,” and it also gives you simple guides for what to eat (and what not to eat) at some of the most popular kid-friendly restaurants across the nation.
Some of the findings will surprise you. For example, did you know you’re better off ordering the single burger with everything at Wendy’s instead of the Southwest Taco Salad or the Crispy Chicken Nuggets? It’s true. At Chili’s, your kids are better off ordering the corn dog instead of the country-friend chicken crispers. Each recommendation is backed up with calorie counts, fat gram content and sodium levels. Each restaurant is also given a grade so you’ll know how good or bad their kids’ menu really is. (Subway, Wendy’s and Chick-fil-A were the only restaurants listed who received “A” grades.)
The book also has great tips for choosing breakfast cereals, what to pack in school lunches and recommendations on the best snack foods, juices, frozen pizzas, ice cream and more. The author even guides us through what to choose out of vending machines! He lives in the real world and realizes that moms and kids do, too. This is a great resource for moms trying to make good food choices for our kids and teach them how to do it for themselves as they grow up. (I let my 7-year-old son flip through it, and now he is automatically avoiding the foods on the “Not that” list just because he saw it in the book!)
For more info on the book, click on the image to read more about it and see customer reviews.
Have you read a book lately you’d like to tell your fellow moms about? Send us your book title suggestions by e-mailing us at mamas@nwaMotherlode.com.
