Learning by Doing

Knowledge is great, but kids (and adults) learn best by doing.
At Eat the Rainbow Challenge™ for elementary schools, kids don't just learn about eating healthier foods. They actually eat them. They watch everyone else around them eating fruits and veggies too.
Much more impact than nutrition education.
We have to educate by 'doing' not 'teaching'.

Play is the Beginning of Knowledge ~George Dorsey

Play Eat the Rainbow Challenge for fun.
Eat the colors and earn the points.
Maybe, just maybe in the future it might open more doors.
Cooking, baking, gardening, farmers' markets....just maybe.
But for today, eating colors is more than enough.
Let's just play the game.

8 Out of 10 Times

Sorry to disappoint you but my kids don't jump in glee when they get offered an apple for a snack.
Their eyes don't light up when they have to eat a salad.
My 12 year old daughter rolls her eyes at green smoothies. 
My 9 year old hates slimy cooked veggies.
They ask for cheese pizza at birthday parties.
And after having kept them away from soda for years, they have recently discovered the guzzle of an iced coke and root beer. 

They love ice cream, chocolate and chips.
I don't expect them not to. 

But they also would love the opportunity to go a farmer's market.
My 12 year old daughter loves making a fresh Caprese salad with basil from our little veggie patch (which has little else growing right now).
She loves making fresh veggie juice.
My son will chomp on fresh organic carrots with the greens still on and say "Whats up Doc'?"
He dislikes eating greens but will happily drink up a blended smoothie.

I try to cook veggies everyday. This part is natural to me because it's a part of my culture (Indian).
Luckily for me, the connection of cooking to an everyday event hasn't been lost in my family.
If we want to eat, I cook or prepare it most of the time, unless it's a weekend.
On the weekend, we eat at our favorite restaurants.
You may even see us at Sonic picking up a grilled cheese and slushy once in a while.   

We are FAR from those who make perfectly healthy choices all the time.
We just try to do it about 8 out of 10 times.
If 8 out of 10 seems difficult, no worries. Start with a lower number.
But do start.