EATING FOR A HEALTHY WINTER

Will eating lots of vegetables help with the winter blues and illness? Sometimes healthy eating is very psychological. If it is good for us then we must feel better. The problem is the cost of winter veggies can be high. The potatoes, sweet potatoes and squash along with onions and carrots may see us through the expensive ones. Especially the salad ingredients! So how is your post-Christmas diet going?

NANA SAYS THE SUMMER IS A GOOD TIME TO WORK ON PICKY EATERS

With the season of local fresh fruit and vegetables, there are many opportunities to include children in food choices along with making it fun. Short trips to farmer's markets where they can help to pick the vegetables. Growing a few vegetables in your own garden or in a close relative's like a grandparent gives children a lesson on how food grows. Making platters of veggies and their favourite dip as a dinner entree can make summer eating fun and less work for the parents. Fruit arrives each week during July and August. Take plums and their variety of taste, size and colour. Making them sound and look like a treat is a great way to introduce more fruit. Fresh strawberries- eating alone, with ice cream or chopped up in a plain yogurt adds another vitamin enriched item to the diet. My grandchildren like to pick our raspberries fresh from the bush. Tomatoes come in big and small varieties. As tthe bounty of the summer season progresses, include them in snacks on outings. Little containers with chopped fruit and veggies make for impromptu picnics. When hungry, children and even some adults eat what is available. If you like to make muffins, cookies or cupcakes, fruit can be included in those recipes. There are uses for veggies such as zucchini in zucchini bread. Similar to a banana bread. So work on your little picky eaters while including farms, markets and outings to food festivals as a family project. Yes, remember to teach them to thank the farmer for growing the food!