Nicola Graimes - Vegetarian Food for Healthy Kids

VEGETARIAN
FOOD FOR
healthy
kids

NICOLA GRAIMES

CONTENTS

HELLO

Every parent wants the best for their children and top of the list for most of us is good health. The theory is so simple: just eat nutritious foods, drink enough water and cut out the junk. But we know thats light years away from what happens in practice. Theres childrens fickle eating habits and tastes to take into account, peer pressure, time constraints and so many other things that make it much more difficult to keep them (let alone ourselves) on the right track.

I dont profess to be the perfect role model, but experience has taught me a lot about helping my children to make the right dietary choices, from offering a varied and interesting range of meals and snacks to engaging them in food shopping and cooking (and at times growing) their own foods. So I was reassured recently to read a health report that said those children who help out in the kitchen and have a basic knowledge of nutrition are more likely to be on the right path for eating healthily as adults and that makes a lot of sense as it inspires an interest in food and a greater willingness to try different things.

Yet Im also a realist. Research shows that pizza, pasta, burgers, sausages and curry remain all-time favourite meals with children, veggie or not. No big surprises there, but Ive been eager in this book to give you healthier versions of these popular foods. For instance, against all odds, pizza with a base made from grated cauliflower mixed with ground almonds goes down really well at home (see )?

MEAL PLANNING

To make meal planning and preparation easier and more convenient, some recipes come with handy symbols. These highlight whether the recipe (or its main constituent) is suitable for freezing, making ahead or in bulk.

Suitable for freezing

Make ahead

Make in bulk

These ideas and many more can be found within the pages of Vegetarian Food for Healthy Kids. There are recipes for all times of the day and week, from sustaining Breakfasts and energizing Lunches to refuelling After-School Snacks and nourishing Weekday Meals to health-giving suggestions for the Weekend. And youll also find recipes for the occasional fruity sweet treat, with a keen eye, on my part, on keeping the sugar content to a minimum.

Time is at a premium for us all, so Ive added Quick Ideas within each chapter to give you healthy, pocket-size suggestions for bumping- up the nutritional value of a meal. And for me, one of the most important and exciting features in the book is the Kids Cook (see below) pages, including a collection of easy, nutritious recipes for children to make perhaps with you at their side as kitchen assistant.

KIDS COOK

Learning to cook is such a vital life skill. Encouraging your children to join you in the kitchen is one of the most useful and enjoyable ways of helping them to be more food knowledgeable and health aware. Whats more, most children love cooking and for parents it gets them away from screens!

Thats why in this book Ive included the Kids Cook features, which give a collection of recipes for children to make on their own or with the help of an adult, depending on their level of experience. Theyll have fun making everything from simple fruit- and veg-filled smoothies and tasty, healthy sandwich fillings to the slightly more challenging but no less delicious Sunday lunch.

IN A NUTSHELL

What we eat and our lifestyles directly affects how we feel and our health. The same goes for our children. In essence, for me it all boils down to these three things:

DUMP THE JUNK
Say goodbye to sugary processed foods and drinks. The same goes for hydrogenated fats and additives.

DRINK WATER
Good hydration is vital for both mental and physical health.

GET ACTIVE
Exercise helps us maintain a healthy weight as well as boosting memory and concentration.

GET HEALTHY ACTION PLAN

Many studies highlight the numerous positive health benefits of a vegetarian diet. However, cutting out meat is only part of the picture... a veggie diet is only healthy if it is varied and balanced. A diet of processed veggie burgers or pizza, fizzy drinks and confectionery may be meat-free, but its also low in nutritional value. So what should a healthy vegetarian child be eating? The following are top of my list:

1. KICK-START THE DAY

The research is all there. Children who eat a nutritious, varied breakfast perform better at school and are more alert and focused. Health experts seem to agree the first meal of the day is also the most important as it kick-starts the metabolism, replenishing vital brain nutrients and blood-sugar levels that have diminished overnight.

Skipping breakfast makes kids grouchy and can lead to a habit of snacking on unhealthy foods, such as the grabbed packet of crisps/potato chips on the way to school or a sugared doughnut mid-morning.

Im a bit of a stickler when it comes to breakfast. It may take a little extra time to prepare, but a nutritious breakfast is the best start you can give your children and it could make all the difference to their mental and physical wellbeing. Ideally, breakfast should be a combination of energizing wholegrain starches, satisfying protein, fresh fruit or veg and healthy fats. For inspiration turn to pages , or the quick, tasty ideas below.

BREAKFAST BOOSTERS

Wholegrain toast with Miso Butter (see ), topped with a poached egg and served with a glass of diluted fresh fruit juice.

Chia seeds soaked in nut milk with fresh or dried fruit, nuts, seeds, oats and ground linseeds/flaxseeds.

Low sugar and salt baked beans on whole- grain toast with an egg or chopped avocado and a sprinkling of nutritional yeast flakes, served with a glass of diluted fresh fruit juice.

Toasted wholegrain bread rolls with soft cheese, chopped banana and toasted sunflower seeds. Or try grilled/broiled tomatoes or mushrooms instead of the banana.

No-added sugar, wholegrain breakfast cereal with nut milk, fresh fruit and ground linseeds/flaxseeds and chopped nuts.

Fruit smoothies with ground hemp seeds and a spoonful of peanut butter. Or try a mixture of fruit with vegetables.