A Surprisingly Delightful Book Perfect for Teaching Children about Food

Eat God's Food

When I saw Eat God’s Food, I was interested but cautious. It felt like “Eating God’s Way” and anytime I see stuff like that, I end up not liking it.

So, imagine my delight and surprise when the book explained the different kinds of good food and makes a nod to the kinds of food not good for our bodies. No heavy-handed guilt trips, no spiritualizing food choices, just practical reasons to eat whole, good foods and drink plenty of water.

Furthermore, the book is sprinkled with activities that engage children’s minds and help cement the ideas in them.

My “meh” read I expected to find turned out to be a delight. Well done.

About the Book

Book: Eat God’s Food

Author: Susan U. Neal

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Release date: June 21, 2021

Kids have strong opinions about food. Some foods they love and others they don’t. Eat God’s Food teaches them early to love the right kinds of food, preparing them for a lifetime of eating and living the way God intended.

About the Author

Susan Neal RN, MBA, MHS teaches both adults and children healthy nutritional guidelines. She is the author of eight healthy living books. Susan helped thousands improve their health and weight with her award-winning bestseller, 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates. Now she’s educating children about developing wholesome eating habits. You can find Susan on SusanUNeal.com.

More from Susan

How to Persuade Kids to Eat Healthy

Did you know God created over 100 vegetables and 50 fruits? Most kids probably don’t know this either. Have you eaten all of those produce items? Wouldn’t it be fun to try each one with your children? God created humans, and he knew exactly what we needed to eat. That’s why he created double the amount of vegetables than fruits. Fruits are God’s dessert and vegetables are his staple. So how do we get kids to eat them? You’ve got to make it fun.

Each week, ask your child to choose one produce item for the family to try. Take your kids to the produce section of the grocery store on a scavenger hunt to find the colors for each vegetable and fruit. Take photos of interesting items and when you get home, ask your kid to draw them.

Try a new recipe each week with your children. The new picture book, Eat God’s Food, provides a recipe for parents to do with their child for each of the following food groups: vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, grains, and meat.

Create snack bags with your youngsters that include their favorite nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Put a half cup in each bag and place them in your pantry. The next time you’re running out the door for an athletic event, your kids can grab a healthy snack.

Educate your children about the health benefits of consuming vegetables, fruits, whole grains (not processed), nuts, seeds, and meat. Have them determine the vitamins in different foods.

Help them figure out what produce item might improve their vision or give them more energy.

Teach your children to read food labels. When I took my kids to the grocery store, we had the rule that we couldn’t buy any item with over 10 grams of sugar. They would grab the package, find the sugar level, and tell me, “Mom, it has 24 grams of sugar in one granola bar.” So we wouldn’t buy it. They understood why and would look for another snack. Many times they found an item with 12 grams of sugar, and that was close enough, so we got it.

I taught my kids to read labels to see if it included hydrogenated oil, because that ingredient causes health problems. A couple years later, all foods in the United States had to be labeled if it included this ingredient. Mama knew what she was talking about.

Teach your kids that products made from white flour have been stripped of their nutrients. In fact, they may cause a child to grow wider instead of taller. Explain how food manufacturers want consumers to buy more of their products, so they add sugar, salt, and fats to get them hooked. Food manufacturers want to make a profit, and sometimes that profit comes at the consumers’ expense.

Check the Environmental Working Group’s findings that showed that almost all oat-based cereal products marketed to children contained the carcinogen residue from glyphosate. Check the list in this article for the level of glyphosate found in your child’s favorite cereal. Therefore, you should buy organic oat products.

Expand your child’s palate, knowledge, and point of view about healthy foods versus unhealthy foods. If you do, they may grab a grocery store product, read the label, and tell you why it is not healthy. And they may select some fun, interesting fruits and vegetables in the produce aisle. Enjoy exploring all of God’s food with your family.