I grew up extremely poor and as a result learned poor eating habits. My childhood diet consisted mostly of grilled (government) cheese sandwiches and potatoes. As an adult my poor eating habits caught up with me so I have been trying to learn more about nutrition. I vowed to teach my children better than what I was taught. As I studied, I taught my children. I read a terrific Superfoods book and had my kids create their own Superfoods book. They loved the exercise and learned a lot. I realized I had been successful in teaching my children when I made French Toast for dinner one night (the first time ever). Dd5 looked at me and said, "Mom this in not a nutritious dinner. You need to make something healthier tomorrow." I am still working to improve, but it is hard to break life-long habits.
Last year I ran a garden club at my dd's school. At the beginning of each meeting, we would have a snack and a nutrition/food lesson. It was a great way to introduce the kids (many low-income students) to fresh fruits and vegetables. I was always amazed that they consistently ate everything we brought. I guess it helped that they were always hungry after school. I had several parents tell me how their children were eating fruits and vegetables that they never would eat before, even unusual things (for kids to like) such as grapefruit and blackberries.
