Nine out of ten Australians do not eat the recommended servings of vegetables, and just less than half eat the right amount of fruit. Everyone knows the consequences of a poor diet as an adult. But what happens when children do not eat fresh?

Fresh ingredients benefit the whole family in different ways. While it can be tempting to find shortcuts to a healthy diet, there is nothing better than fresh ingredients for kids.

Eating fresh does not have to take up valuable time, which can be hard to come by as a parent. With the proper guidance, you and your family will reap the many benefits of fresh ingredients. Read on to learn why fresh ingredients are best for the entire family. 

Fresh Ingredients vs Processed Foods

So, what is the definition of fresh ingredients? Food can often have misleading packaging, which can make fresh ingredients hard to distinguish. However, fresh ingredients are foods that are not processed and have not had contact with artificial substances. 

On the other hand, processed food is when chemicals or other mechanical operations have been used to change the food or preserve it. Some processed food is healthy, such as nut butter and frozen vegetables. Focus on avoiding ingredients that could only be made inside a laboratory or with a chemical process, such as soy protein isolate. 

Some examples of processed foods to limit in your child’s diet include:

• Sweet biscuits
• Processed meat
• Pastries

It is good to focus on eating fresh when raising children. Avoid GMO ingredients and focus on organic ingredients, such as NASAA Certified Organic. You can also buy fresh ingredients local to Australia.

As children grow, they are likely to try these different foods, but if you mainly purchase and eat fresh food at home, they will reap the benefits. 

Benefits of Eating Fresh 

There are many reasons to eat fresh, but it is essential to set an example and begin with your children. Fresh ingredients for kids offer a wealth of short and long-term benefits. Here are the main advantages of fresh ingredients for children. 

Promote Long-term Habits

Children develop habits by the age of nine, and it is hard to break a bad habit, so introducing your child to fresh ingredients young sets them up for life.

Yes, they may go through stages as they age, but they will be aware of fresh ingredients and how to work with them. Many teenagers, university students, and even adults struggle to work with fresh ingredients if they are unfamiliar with them. Instead, they will stick to what is comfortable. 

It is much harder to introduce a child to fresh ingredients when they are older. Many children go through phases with certain fresh ingredients such as fruits and vegetables. But if you introduce these foods young, children will be used to them and recognise the great taste of all fresh ingredients, which helps them maintain the healthy diet they need. 

However, if children are used to eating processed food, it can be challenging to alter their taste buds, which will be familiar with salt, sugar, and fats. And it can be more challenging for them as they age, as fresh ingredients will be an unfamiliar territory that they do not feel comfortable in. Avoid picky eaters by using fresh ingredients from the start.

Physical Wellbeing and Development

There are many health benefits of eating fresh too. As they say, you are what you eat, and when children are growing, you want them to be as healthy as possible. Avoid exposing children to harmful ingredients that could impact their physical development. 

Fresh ingredients have many more nutrients than processed foods, which lose nutrients through artificial processes. For example, they have a higher water content, which offers essential hydration for your child’s cellular health. And fresh ingredients maintain the enzymes your children need to aid digestion and absorption of nutrients. 

These nutrients and health benefits will aid your child’s physical wellbeing and development. Healthy fresh food can help boost immune systems, help produce healthy bones, and protect heart health. Eating fresh can also help them maintain a healthy weight and prevent the onset of disease.

Unhealthy diets can lead to chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Over 280 Australians develop diabetes every day, including children. Providing your child with fresh food helps them establish good physical wellbeing early, so they can maintain it as they grow. 

If your child is allergic or intolerant to certain fresh ingredients, contact your doctor to discuss ways to manage a healthy diet. 

Emotional Wellbeing and Growth

The benefits of fresh ingredients for kids also impacts their mental and emotional wellbeing. Fresh ingredients have the vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals their bodies need to support healthy brain function. After all, the brain directly impacts the stomach and intestines, and vice versa. 

Healthy fresh ingredients help stabilise children’s moods and can even prevent the onset of mood disorders such as depression. They will have fewer mood fluctuations and better concentration. Unhealthy foods can lead to tiredness, mood changes, and slower reactions, which can be confusing for children. 

Fresh ingredients also help children begin to learn the natural cues of eating and when they are full, instead of getting confused by how processed food can impact hunger. Their brain can begin to crave processed foods, which also cause inflammation in the body, which leads to mood disorders. 

Fresh ingredients also help prevent children from using food as an emotional outlet. Eating disorders continue to grow in prevalence, which makes a stable and grounding relationship with food essential for children.

Fresh Ingredients Taste Better 

Fresh ingredients do not only provide essential health benefits, but they also taste better. Expose children to the joy of food and the many flavours to discover. Children can become interested in food and want to learn more about it, so fresh ingredients provide a good starting point to engage their interest.

Processed foods often mask a food’s true flavours, as the processes the food goes through cause it to lose its natural taste. Help establish a child’s healthy relationship with food early, so it can continue to blossom as they grow. 

Teaching Food Geography 

The reasons to eat fresh as a family also include educational benefits. Fresh ingredients open a discussion about where certain foods are from, which is a great way to teach about food geography.

Now, more than ever, it is important to teach children about the importance of caring for our planet. Discussing the origins of fresh ingredients helps children become mindful of what foods they buy in the future. You can teach them about seasonal foods and where to shop for sustainable food options. 

The reasons to eat fresh as a family also include educational benefits. Fresh ingredients open a discussion about where certain foods are from, which is a great way to teach about food geography. 

Mindful Eating

Fresh ingredients also encourage mindful eating, which is essential for children to establish a healthy relationship with food. Fresh and flavorful food helps children focus on the flavours and practice developing a deeper connection with what they are eating. And mindful eating leads to more healthy habits such as recognising when they are, which they can continue to practice as they grow.

You can also make mindful eating fun for children by doing taste tests and cooking sessions. Also, take other steps such as limiting screen time during meals to reap the maximum benefits.

Stability 

The reasons to eat fresh also include stability for children. It is a good reason to eat together as a family when you can, and all enjoy the delicious food on offer. You can also make it fun and always have healthy snacks on hand. 

Food should give children the nutrients they need, not fluctuating moods and other side effects that can impact their childhood, such as constipation. Fresh ingredients help establish a stable relationship with food. 

Fresh Ingredients for Kids

There are many benefits of eating fresh, but how can you introduce the foods to children? Encourage your children to pick produce and show them where it comes from. You can also talk to them about organic food options, encourage them to help you prepare food and cut new food into interesting shapes. 

All fresh ingredients can work well with children, but check they are getting the right dietary requirements for health. Do not just stick with one or two fresh ingredients they like, instead introduce them to a range, so they reap all the benefits of eating fresh. You can also purchase products that are organic, tasty, and local. 

Eating Fresh With Nutura Organic

This article is designed to provide general advice for parents and guardians; for specific health advice, please consult with your child’s healthcare practitioner. Be inspired to start eating fresh with your family with these fresh ingredient benefits. Consult your healthcare practitioner if you need specific guidance.

Nutura Organic knows how challenging it can be to raise children and eat healthily. We are here to make fresh ingredients and recipes easy for hardworking parents. Check out our product range and other blog posts for more inspiration.