Planning Meals

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11).

Good, nourishing food is a gift you can give to your family every day. Good food does not need to be expensive. The key to tasty food is forethought and preparation.

I like to cook but I hate planning what to cook. It is hard to figure out what everyone will like and what we can afford to buy. However, planning meals with good nutrition for the family is so important.

More and more teachers notice that the children who do the best in school are well-nourished. Nutritionists blame hyperactivity and short concentration spans on food with high sugar content, high caffeine content, MSG and highly colored foods.

The best foods for children are natural, clean foods such as vegetables, fruit, rice and milk. It takes effort to have these foods on hand and to prepare them fresh, in time for regular meals.

Children need to eat more often than adults. It takes planning to give them nourishing snacks instead of junk food. Try to avoid having fast food too often. One of my favorite snacks for children is peanut butter and bananas. I also enjoy giving them fresh fruit and cheese.

Children are usually happy with simple foods if they look appetizing and are presented in a fun-to-eat manner. For instance, try cutting raw vegetables into fun shapes before giving them to your kids.

Good nutrition takes a lot of thought, but you will reap the rewards of having healthier children who are able to concentrate longer on their lessons. It is a worthwhile effort, is it not?

From “Moments for Moms,” a free email subscription.
Copyright (c) 2004 Women’s Ministries of the Assemblies of God.
http://www.ag.org/womensministries

 

Maxim of the Moment

Success in marriage isn’t finding the right person: it’s being the right person.