Читать книгу The Secret Ingredient: Family Cookbook - Sally Bee - Страница 15

I see feeding my family a healthy diet as important as medication from the doctors, fitting smoke alarms, teaching kids to cross the road safely and not talking to strangers. As the main cook in the house, I have to be the healthy body monitor. That doesn’t mean it’s my responsibility to do all the work, but it is my responsibility to direct proceedings and ultimately to ensure that my family eats and lives well.

It doesn’t matter who puts their hand up to be the ‘healthy body monitor’ in your household, as long as someone does!

Feeding your family a healthy diet is important for their future health, but it’s also important for today. Young children need energy from the right kinds of food. They need small regular meals that entice them with their eyes. Teenagers, in my experience, are always starving! My eldest son is now 14 years old and could easily eat me out of house and home. Food for teenagers needs to be filling but highly nutritious. I find that if I explain what each ingredient will offer my son – i.e. build muscles, keep skin clear, make his brain work faster – he is more likely to decide to like it. This is also part of the battle; I am amazed by how many children come around to our house and say they don’t like something before they’ve even tried it.

Kids have busy lives. Mine seem to be busier than me these days, and struggling with colds and bugs makes life pretty miserable. By eating a healthy and balanced diet and practising good handwashing, it’s possible to keep everyday bugs to a minimum. Healthy food contains antioxidants that help fight bad cells. This is very important for us in later life, as these antioxidants can potentially fight off cancer cells, but in early years they can keep a child happy and bug free. The healthier your children are, the quicker they can fight off bugs and colds. The healthier you are as an adult, the more energy you will have, and the stronger your system will be if ever a trauma like mine comes your way.

I truly hope nothing like this ever comes your way – but, if it does, the best feeling in the world is knowing that you did everything possible to ensure you survive and continue to flourish.

Enjoy, folks, and much love from Sally Bee x