All parents and caregivers face the challenge of nutrition education for kids. Teaching children about nutrition helps them grow up healthy by empowering them with knowledge to navigate their own healthy food choices.

Sticking with nourishing foods can have a profound effect on children’s health, helping stabilize their moods, sharpen their minds, and avoid a variety of health problems. Nutrient-dense foods can also have a profound effect on your child’s sense of wellbeing and emotional health.

A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior explored how virtual cooking classes can help. Researchers found that kids who participate in virtual cooking classes are likely to expand their knowledge of nutrition and improve their confidence in preparing and consuming healthy foods.

Wellbeats’ nutrition collection offers something for everyone—including kids! With classes for the whole family, Wellbeats’ expert-led, on-demand nutrition classes provide delicious meal ideas, fun cooking lessons, and tips for involving kids in all aspects of nutrition. Teaching kids about eating healthy has never been easier!

Tips to Get Kids Interested in Nutrition

Wellbeats instructor and functional nutritionist Christina S. outlines four tips for getting kids interested in nutrition:

1. Cook meals at home and get kids involved in shopping.

Kids are more likely to be interested in nutrition when you make nutrition fun, so include them in making grocery shopping lists, reading nutrition labels and recipes, and understanding what ingredients go into their favorite foods.

2. Set a good example for your kids by making nutritious food choices for yourself.

Children learn by watching you. When it comes to nutrition for kids’ growth, the most persuasive messages might be nonverbal. If you prepare, eat, and enjoy nutritious foods, the chances are pretty good your child will eventually follow your healthy example.

3. Create healthy conversations around food.

Keep all foods on a neutral playing field by avoiding labeling foods as “good” or “bad.” Instead, refer to whole foods as “everyday foods” and sweets as “sometimes foods.” Focus on education, not mandating or shaming. Remember that simple explanations are easier for kids to follow.

4. Plant a garden to grow your own food.

Growing your own food may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! Keep it simple and start small with a pot of herbs. A garden brings healthy foods to life and provides real-world experience for kids. Grow a “pizza garden” by planting tomatoes, basil, oregano, peppers, and onion, or plant a “smoothie garden” by planting kale, blueberries, strawberries, and mint.

Think about teaching your child about nutrition as a gradual, ongoing process—not something you need to do all at once. Use these tips to get your kids interested in nutrition at any age, and you’ll establish a great foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating!

Already a Wellbeats member? Learn more by enrolling in Get Kids Interested in Nutrition with Christina S. now.

Kids in the Kitchen

Kids in the Kitchen is one of six new nutrition and culinary programs available through Wellbeats’ partnership with food-as-medicine company Launch My Health. This program is designed to get kids excited about cooking and trying new foods while teaching them basic kitchen skills and safety. The goal of Kids in the Kitchen is to encourage mentors and the little ones they love to get cooking together! A few of the program benefits are:

• Opportunity for quality time spent together
• Increased exposure to a variety of nutritious ingredients
• Greater understanding of basic preparation and cooking techniques
• Improved foundational skills
• Knowledge of how to safely use basic kitchen tools

Chef Jeremy will guide you in making things like pizza, quesadillas, spaghetti with meatballs, and more “kid-approved” menu items. “Little chefs” and “big chefs” will work together to get a delicious and healthy meal on the table—all while learning skills that will last a lifetime. Already a Wellbeats member? Enroll in Kids in the Kitchen now.

About Wellbeats, a LifeSpeak company

Wellbeats, a LifeSpeak company is a leading provider of on-demand virtual fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness classes for use in workplaces of all sizes, health plans, on college or university campuses, multi-family housing, the U.S. military, and fitness and health clubs. Based in St. Louis Park, MN, Wellbeats makes fitness accessible, affordable, and approachable for everyone. More than 1,000 classes and 35+ programs are available to help members stay on track and meet their goals. To learn more, visit www.wellbeats.com or check out a sampling of the company’s fitness classes during a Facebook Live class, and follow Wellbeats on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Launch My Health

Based in St. Paul, MN, Launch My Health is a leader in on-demand, virtual nutrition and culinary education services for employers, health plans, and healthcare in a scalable, cost-effective way. Launch My Health uses a food as medicine approach to empower participants to transform their health in their own homes through comprehensive programs, live culinary classes, and private nutrition coaching with a dietitian. Combining the latest research, behavior change models, and outcomes data with the team’s fun and approachable style, Launch My Health programs produce real results. To learn more about how Launch My Health can help your organization, visit www.launchmyhealth.com and follow on LinkedIn.