Hi everyone,

I hope you have recovered from the Easter break and your children have settled back into school. Today I thought we could think about healthy eating. Although this topic has been addressed before, it's something that parents discuss with me on a daily basis. I hear so often of children who have a very limited diet and refuse to try new foods. From a child's point of view, why would they eat vegetables, fruit, fish, meat etc if they didn't have a good reason for it? As parents we would often say 'eat your vegetables, they're good for you' but what does 'good' actually mean when speaking about food? Have you ever thought about breaking it down into groups of food? Children are more likely to make good choices around eating if they know why it matters. Educate your children about how the right food will turn them into 'superkids.'

Protein rich foods like fish, eggs and beans will help their muscles grow stronger!

Healthy carbohydrates like squash, brown rice and sweet potatoes give you energy to play hard!

Colourful vegetables like spinach, beetroot, and red peppers help keep your eyes healthy and help protect you from getting sick!

Healthy fats like avocado, seeds and olive oil help the brain develop and get smarter!

Eating whole healthy foods and getting a range of nutrients helps you feel good and balance your mood!

Of course, trying to get children to try different foods isn't going to happen overnight. Involve your children in the whole process from menu planning, to shopping for the food and cooking it. If they realise how the food is going to help their body and they have helped to put the food on the table, they are more likely to eat it. Give it a try, you may be surprised.

And finally, our positive thought for the week:

Good thoughts make a happy person!

If you have a parenting concern, you can contact Mrs Easty via the school office - admin@burlingtoni.org.uk