This post was sponsored by the National 4-H Council as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Making Healthy Meal Choices with 4-H Food Smart Families

One of the parenting lessons I have been teaching my children more is the act of eating healthy and choosing their own meals. I think it’s important as parents that we give the knowledge of eating right and choice to our children.

My kids have been picky eaters for a very long time but as they’ve gotten older and are able to understand the idea of “healthy”, we’ve been able to talk about it at home.

Another great local place that we are able to learn and discuss food is through our 4-H program. Did you know that they offer a Food Smart Families program and if your children are old enough they are able to participate and teach their peers?

Through the program, they utilize “Teens as Teachers” model, the idea is that the influence of these young people can be passed onto their families and their peers. It’s a wonderful way to get your younger children copying something appropriate and helps bring the whole family in on something that can benefit everyone.

The power of influence is in the hands of over 400 teens who have been trained in the program and they help serve as role models and mentors to younger children. Passing on the ability to shop, plan and prepare a variety of healthy meals all at a budget price as well.

If you weren’t aware there is a substantial amount of children in homes that do not have constant access to food throughout the year. Not only has this program helped those families learn to better handle a food budget but they have helped deliver this program to over 300,000 youth participants in 14 states.

That number makes for a growing chance at these teens to pass along that knowledge to everyone in their community. As a parent that makes me so excited when I enroll my kids in the 4-H program. It’s more than just getting them out of the house to do something, it will actually have an impact on us as a family and our friends.

I thought the opportunity to show them where food grows, how they impact their body and helping them choose their own meal was good. A practice at home model is something that I believe has a lasting effect on our children, but the idea of how to shop with a food budget and plan for it never occurred to me.

This program will definitely be changing the way I help teach healthy at home. How do you discuss this with your kids? Have your children participated in this program or are you planning on having them join?