Child Nutrition and Cooking - Cooking Demonstrations

Because eggs contain all of the essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) in sufficient quantities, they are considered to be a “complete” source of protein. Eggs are also relatively high in cholesterol, so they shouldn’t be eaten in excessive amounts. For healthy individuals, and eaten in moderation, eggs can be a delicious part of a balanced meal.

Most brands of olive oil, expensive or not, contain monounsaturated (good) fats and polyphenols which promote heart health. If you want, you can buy a more expensive olive oil to use for your salad, and a cheaper olive oil to use for other purposes.

Because so many food companies are competing for our food dollars, food marketing has become extremely sophisticated and billions of dollars are spent every year on marketing alone.

The opposite is true -- In the US, there are no laws governing the nutritional content of foods marketed to young children. This is one of the reasons why more screentime is correlated with higher rates of childhood obesity.

Consumers often feel as if they have many choices when shopping for food because manufacturers can disguise one base product (corn) as many different options. Food producers feel the need to market their products aggressively in order to stay afloat in a competitive marketplace.

The foods listed in the first three lists are high in nutritional value, unprocessed and will last for at least a week to several months (rice, lentils and dried beans.) The foods listed in the last answer choice are relatively high in unhealthy fat, sugar and/or salt and because these foods are highly processed, they are lower in healthful nutrients like fiber, vitamins and minerals. While these foods can be eaten occasionally as treats, they would not be very helpful in preparing healthy, nutritious meals.

Food gives our bodies the energy we need to grow, strengthen, maintain and also to repair damage. It also fuels our brain so that we can think.

Benefits of stocking the kitchen pantry:
 - A stocked kitchen pantry promotes home-cooking which is healthier than eating out
 - Having different ingredients on hand allows you to experiment with new dishes and combinations
 - Planning ahead for cooking saves time and money

The naturally occurring nutrients in food are the primary reason why pests (like molds, for example) will attack food, causing it to spoil. When foods are processed, many of these naturally occurring nutrients are stripped so that foods will last longer on a grocery store shelf. This is one of the reasons why processed, refined bread will last longer than bread that’s baked on a small scale from whole food ingredients. Even though synthetic nutrients are often added back to the processed end product, the nutritional value of the original food is not maintained through processing.