How China Cojuangco and Stephanie Zubiri Encourage Their Kids To Eat Nutritious Food As They Study At Home

Distance learning can undoubtedly be a challenge for our children. We always want to give them help and support, and one of the ways we can do it is to provide them food that gives them enough energy to get through their online classes and homework.

This is what celebrity moms China Cojuangco and Stephanie Zubiri talked about in an episode of “Raising Smart Kids With A Heart,” a special Facebook Live series by Smart Parenting and Enfagrow A+ Four, hosted by Angel Jacob.

Learn a thing or two from China and Stephanie on how to get kids to eat (and love) nutritious food. Keep reading:

Be mindful of when, how, and what kids eat

For Stephanie, mindfulness is an integral part of healthy eating.

“It’s very important to me that every time they eat something, they value it, they taste it. It’s not mindless eating, which can lead to bad habits later in life,” she said.

This means making sure that the kids focus on their food and don’t engage in other activities while eating. It’s very easy for kids (and adults!) to lose track of how much they’re consuming when multitasking.

Avoid too much salt and sugar

China and Stephanie say that it’s okay to let your kids have a treat every now and then, but watch out for the hidden salt and sugar in prepackaged food.

Too much sugar can lead to hyperactivity and the inevitable energy slump. Meanwhile, too much salt can increase blood pressure.

For China, the solution is “spacing, pacing, and limiting” their snacks, or mapping out when and how often kids can have their snacks throughout the day or week.

Don’t deprive them

According to these two moms, parents should avoid relegating snacks and treats to the weekends, as this can make the kids think that they’re being deprived of food. This may lead them to binge eat on Saturdays and Sundays.

Instead, China and Stephanie prefer to let their kids have small “cheat treats” throughout the week. These are usually healthier, homemade versions of their kids’ favorite snacks.

Make the snacks at home

Most of the prepackaged food and snacks that we find in the supermarket have ingredients that aren’t nutritious. That’s why both China and Stephanie like making homemade snacks for their kids.

The two moms don’t have to worry about any unhealthy additives or hidden salt and sugars with homemade snacks.

Get your kids in the kitchen

China and Stephanie like to get their kids to help out in the kitchen because seeing how their food was prepared can make them more excited to eat it.

China also suggests taking advantage of the kids’ nutrition lessons in science class, such as the food pyramid and the rainbow of fruits and vegetables. Preparing the food studied in class will allow them to learn from experience and help the lesson stick a little better.

Watch the full episode of this Facebook Live below to learn more about how food affects children’s ability to learn, and to see a no-bake snack idea shared by China, who's also a chef:

Remember, moms and dads: During this distance learning time, we must always provide our children with all the nutrients they need for a healthy mind and body.

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