Using the ABCs to teach children the importance of proper nutrition is both educational and fun. You can use each letter in the alphabet to represent one way to educate children about the importance of healthy eating habits and making good food choices. When referring to the letter "B," for instance, incorporate books (which begin with the letter "B") that send a positive message about nutrition. "Green Eggs and Ham," by Dr. Seuss and "The Berenstein Bears" and "Too Much Junk Food," By Stan and Jan Berenstein are all books that incorporate nutrition into the text. The letter "N" can represent teaching children how to read nutritional labels on foods they consume. Show children how to compare the labels on two different products to determine which one is a healthier choice. The letter "O" can represent opportunities for children in the kitchen. Involve children in preparing meals by allowing them to mix the salad or wash fruits and vegetables prior to slicing them. Incorporating one task or lesson with each letter of the alphabet will encourage and educate children on the importance of healthy food choices.
A fun way to teach children the importance of nutrition is by including them in a cooking lesson. Cooking lessons will teach children how to use proper ingredients as part of a healthy well-balanced diet, especially if they are responsible for preparing one or more of their own meals at home. Come up with a few recipes or meals to cook and ask the children to write a list of ingredients and include the fat and calorie count for each ingredient. For example, ask students to create a list of ingredients for fajitas, which might include ground beef or chicken strips. Ask the children to determine which is healthier, ground beef or chicken, based on the fat content. Go over the list with the students, suggesting substitutes where necessary prior to making the meal. By learning these skills in a hands-on manner, children will incorporate these skills at home when they are cooking alongside their parents or older siblings.
Involve parent participation by organizing shopping project with students. Ask the children to bring in a grocery list that was composed with help from a parent using a one-week meal plan. Ask parents to give their child a say in the meals that are prepared for the week, including snacks so they can help shop when it's time. Go over the lists with each child and offer suggestions in which you feel they might provide a more nutritional substitute. For example, if pasta is on the list, suggest a whole-wheat pasta. If the list contains bacon, consider substituting it with Canadian bacon, lean prosciutto or turkey bacon. Send the revised lists home with the students after shopping and request reviews from the parents as to what was actually purchased and how much participation the child had when selecting the foods on the list.
Use visual aides to show children healthy portion sizes. Compare a particular portion size of food to a toy or other object, such as a deck of cards, tennis ball or baseball, so children can see how much they need to eat. Compare cups and ounces of certain foods to visible objects around the house and describe the comparison to children as the items are being cooked for mealtime. Ask the children to find objects around the house that are the same size as the portion, which involves them in the process and teaches them at the same time.