I had a great trip to the grocery store today with the boys. Life has been so hectic these past few weeks, we haven’t had weekend time for a leisurely trip to the aisles of fruit and fondue. Today, we had the luxury of time, a list, and a proper plan. They weren’t hungry (and neither was I) so our stomachs didn’t drive the cart and the boys were uniquely engaged. We perused the produce area. We made peanut butter in the machine that crushes raw peanuts. We talked about some of the beginnings of the food we bought (the avocado came from Mexico, the mini-oranges from California). But I thought most about how pleased I am when I end up at checkout with more fresh food in the cart than food stuffed into packages. Today I think I came close.
And that’s the lesson. One thing I say over and over again in clinic is, “If at all possible, for every single meal you offer your child at home, make sure 1/2 the plate is covered in fresh fruit and veggies.”
So if that’s the goal, the cart should always look the very same way.
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Richard Winters says
I confess that I put the unhealthy stuff in the middle on the check-out aisle conveyer belt. I backload the vegetables and fruits so that the ice cream, etc is relatively hidden.
It’s nice to stretch out with family and enjoy each other’s company. Those daily tasks done together can be the most rewarding part of the day.
Carly Thurman says
I love it! I try to stay out of the middle of the grocery store as much as possible to not be tempted by all of the yummy, but oh so bad for you cookies, chips and crackers. A little motivation for me to stay away from these aisles is that most of the time, these items are more expensive anyways!
Mary says
Great photo.
I looked into having a nutritionist go to the grocery with people interested in changing eating habits. The fruits and vegetables need to get into the cart to arrive a home….
https://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/feb/20/us-white-house-chef/
I like the policy change and leadership from the First Chef and First Lady, and the involvement of children in making the change.
Kathy says
This nutritionist/dietitian approves your straight-forward and simple advice (not that you need anyone’s approval!). We also like to tell people to “shop the perimeter” of the grocery store since all the processed stuff is in the middle. I second your notion here WSS — parents are responsible for what types of foods/beverages come into the house (at least for the families with younger kids).
Many communities used to offer “shopping with a dietitian” for people going through diabetes education classes, but budget cuts have eliminated most of those educational grocery outings. Some grocery stores have tried using color coding tags to indicate “healthier” choices and some even have dietitians on their corporate staff.
Getting our kids involved in meal planning, food purchasing, and meal preparation are important ways to improve life-long habits and teach good-decision-making when it comes to food/eating. It can never start too early.