Embraced in a lifestyle that is beaming with options,
we all get to frequent malls and supermarkets with aisles
full of foods spoiling us with choices like never before.
Add to that food offered by street vendors, again, in a
bewildering variety of temptations. Now, as parents, what
food shall we choose for our children?

Well, the bottom-line is, the simplest foods are still
the best for children. Whole grains, fresh fruits and
vegetables, unprocessed meats, and natural dairy goods
have always been and will always be the best choices to
make.

However, the conflict resides in the battle between taste
buds and health needs. Let’s face it, we, as urban
twenty-first century parents, encourage a great deal of
children’s personal preferences in food. The reasons are
evident: children these days are more opinionated about
their personal likes and dislikes; moreover, readymade
delicacies are at the finger tips, thanks to the countless
dial-ins in the neighborhood – an easy way out to pamper
taste buds with mouth-watering indulgences.

So, what do we do to strike a balance between the
delicious and the nutritious? One simple thing to do is to
read the labels before purchasing food items. Most labels
indicate the contents of additives, preservatives,
emulsifying agents, and so on. The ground rule is,
lesser the added components, better are the nutritional
values. For example, a loaf of whole grain bread with
basic ingredients is a better choice over a fancy loaf
with a whole paragraph of refined ingredients. So stick
to the basics or the naturals, in as unprocessed forms as
possible.

Children should be encouraged at a very early age to eat
natural produce. It is far better to have your child chew
through an orange rather than picking that convenient
carton of juice. Instant noodles are yet another favorite
grub with children, but you will think twice as parents if
you visited the inside story. An anti-freeze ingredient
called propylene glycol, used to retain the optimum level
of moisture in instant noodles, is believed to be weakening
the immune system. Add to that the flavoring agents, the
high sodium content, and the wax – certainly not best
friends to health.

Stick to the basic and the wholesome. Correct food choice
is not about recipes, but about ingredients. Instead of
those sodium and chemical laden pizza sauces, consider
coming up your own version. All you need is a fusion of
extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, some Italian
seasoning, and natural taste builders like tomatoes,
olives, etc. And there you go, load your home-made pizza
with your loved one’s favorite toppings! Sneak in an
enormous amount of vegetables onto the disc, along with
a generous spread of grilled proteins like chicken or
lean fish. This will make nothing less than a visual,
gustatory, and nutritive treat to your child. Avoid
loading down with more than just a thin layer of cheese.
When the tangy tomatoes and the vegetables bubble together
in the oven, the freshness of the ingredients and the
enhanced flavors will make your child not notice the lack
of cheese or the big portion of veggies they ate. And you
can pat yourself on the back for a job done well!