How to Cook Healthy Food for Kids : Simple Healthy Recipes

Hi there!  Thanks for checking out Cooking For Your Kids With Dr. Chris Ko, a blog featuring easy and healthy recipes to help parents give their kids the nutrition they need.   I'm Dr. Chris Ko.  Let me give you a little background about myself: 

1. First, I am the recipient of an unforgiving name courtesy of my loving parents.  To even out the short surname that I inherited, they decided to give me the distinguished, elongated first name of Christopher.  Other kids used to call me CRISCO oil. They would ask me, "How's the shortening?"  As an adult, I have decided to own my name.  My parents have given me much more than a namesake.  They have showered me with love and guidance and taught me the importance of strong family values.  I am fortunate that they raised me in a positive environment, and specifically a positive food environment. 
2. Second, I am the exceptionally fortunate husband of an amazing wife named Cassie.  Although this blog deals with my attempts to raise my children in a positive food environment, I could not do so without Cassie.  Just the other day, a nice couple witnessed us taking turns handling the two kids and said, "You guys make a nice team."  I replied, "Thanks, that's because I've got a great captain!"
3. Third, I am an internist.  I completed medical school at Northwestern University and residency at Emory University.  I learned a lot from my medical training.  The most important lesson I learned was that medicine is about dedicating oneself to the lifelong pursuit of knowledge and further learning.  In my practice, I have learned that food is intimately tied to health.  Bad food wreaks havoc on your health and good food creates health.  So why would an internist who exclusively treats adults write a blog about cooking for kids?  Well, that has to do with my most important job of all:    
4. I am the proud father of two adorable children.  (They take after their mom).   Like most parents, I struggle to raise my kids in a positive environment and to teach them life skills.  The most fundamentally important life skill to teach kids is how and what to eat.  As an internist, I regularly deal with the health complications that come about from years of bad eating.  The problem is that although parents want the best for their kids, a lot of the advice about food and nutrition out there is confusing or misleading.  What's more, busy parents find it difficult to find the time to prepare food for their kids.  

This last job of mine is what motivated me to blog about Cooking For Your Kids.  I used to think that a blog was a glorified online diary.  (Sorry to my fellow bloggers!)  Now, I realize that blogging is less about the messenger and more about the message. 

Two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese.  Obesity is associated with a myriad of health problems from diabetes to heart disease.  At the heart of the problem is a toxic food environment and poor food education.  On a daily basis, I focus my efforts on helping my patients with weight management by teaching them to retrain themselves on how food affects their bodies.  But even better than teaching adults to change their eating habits is teaching kids to adopt good eating habits from the very beginning.  

One-quarter of our children are obese.  In fact, one study published in the New England Journal of Medicine projected that due in large part to epidemic rates of obesity and diabetes, this generation of children will be the first American generation who will have a shorter lifespan than their parents! 

I've learned a lot about how food impacts health.  My background is in medicine, but my heart is with my kids.  I have translated the lessons I've learned into simple tips to help parents cook healthy food for their kids.  I will post a weekly series of videos featuring an easy recipe that any busy parent can do to help give their kids the nutrition they need.  

Through Cooking For Your Kids, you will learn that food is powerful.  You will learn that food is the key to your health and the health of your kids.  You will learn the harms of eating processed foods that have had sugars added to them or had significant changes to their natural architecture.  You will learn the value of eating whole food.   Finally, you will learn that you can pass these same values onto your children with simple recipes that make you a competent home chef.  One of the great joys of being a parent is watching your child eat something wholesome and nourishing that you prepared for them.  Even more gratifying than that is teaching your kids positive eating habits that they can apply for the rest of their lives.

 I hope you find this web series to be informative and even inspiring.  At the very least, perhaps my kids will bring a smile to your day.  If you know anyone who could benefit from this blog, please ask them to follow along.  Thanks, and I wish you and your kids happy and healthy eating!