What the Heck? At the YMCA??

I really do love our Gig Harbor YMCA. Our whole family of five members were able to join for around $100 a month, and they even have childcare (a must for us) for only around $2-3 an hour per child. Nice, new, clean facility. And, they have a cute "mini"  little deli/coffee shop area....Whoah...wait a minute. Back up. what was THAT I saw in the case for sale? And this is what they sell every single day?

Does anyone see anything wrong with this picture? This is not a mall food court bistro. This is not a ballgame food stand. This is a fitness club deli. Most of the people here, if not all of them, are here to lose weight and be fit. I have been just totally perplexed to see these items sold here every day!  A few of the items you see in the glass case, such as the cheese sticks and fruit salad and sandwiches, can somewhat be representive of a healthy food plan. But how about those doughy bagels on the right side that remind me of the belly fat I aim to keep off every day? And the pastries on the bottom shelf??

On top of that, they sell - get this - "Spimoni Frappuccinos."

With whipped cream.

Now, don't get me wrong; I love the YMCA. I just don't know who's handling decisions to allow vendors to serve things like that, and I think it should change.

Kids And.....Veggies? Part 2

One day recently, I was chopping up some raw veggies to go along with lunch. My youngest son Jazzton dragged up a chair to see what mom was doing, and just started grabbing and munching!  I just HAD to go find the camera and start taking pictures. It dawned on me again that young children really do seem to prefer raw veggies and dip over fancier versions of veggie dishes where the cook "sneaks in" the vegetables. Of course, the latter is good and useful too, but it's really amazing how many times young children really just appreciate the taste of raw vegetables when you let them, and more so than cooked veggies. While some nutrients are increased during cooking, others such as Vitamin C and folate are lost in the process, so this is a good thing!

Kids And.....Veggies?

Can the two mix harmoniously? Yes, they can! 

You may think kids will always hate their veggies. But, has there ever been a time when you gave your baby veggie baby food (pureed carrots, for example) and they actually smacked it all down happily?  Or have you ever been delighted to find that your toddler was your nutrition pride and joy because they actually devoured those "little trees" (called steamed or even raw broccoli)?  And, my gosh, without even any cheese sauce! 

But then you might wonder, what went wrong? Somewhere along the way, the child started having a hankering for junk food (chips, candy, cake, etc.) and now the healthy veggies have taken a backseat for your youngster, or worse, the veggies are now the enemy at mealtimes.

We have to keep in mind that children (and adults) have been "spoiled" by the tastes of modern cuisine and food manufacturing, most of which is not good for us. The Dietary Guidelines for America for 2005 recommends that adults eat five servings of vegetables and five servings of fruit per day to prevent many kinds of disease and illness, and to maintain a proper body weight. Kids have their own guidelines:

Children 2-3 years old require roughly 2 servings of vegetables, 4-8 years old require about 3.
Girls ages 9-13 require about 4 servings, and young ladies 14-18 require 5. Boys ages 9-13 years need about 5 servings and older guys at 14-18 need about 6 servings of veggies per day.
(These servings are about 1/2 cup each. Information is from http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetables_amount_table.html


How can we get all these veggies in? By teaching our kids how important (and tasty!) fruits and veggies can be, by eating them often in front of our kids, and by making them very available to them every day and digging up neat recipes involving all or mostly vegetables. Going meatless some of the time or even all the time is another heathy way to get all the servings in, as now there will be much more room for veggie and fruit in the diet.

Also, knowledge of the vast variety of veggies available is on the parent's side.  If asked, a child will usually finally say "yes," when asked which veggies they like. One child I know does not like cauliflower and snap peas but loves cucumbers. Another child does not like brussel sprouts but loves carrots and cherry tomatoes. If you dig, you shall find! Give your child lots of kudos for caring for their body and keep adding other veggies they like.

Below you see two children consuming a lunch dominated by veggies:  There's a cucumber and carrot crudite plate that was very easy to prepare with Drew's Orange Dressing in the center, Kashi Mediterranean Whole Wheat Veggie Pizza, and Imagine Portabello Mushroom Soup.

The kids really enjoyed this meal!