A Pain Like No Other: Speaking To Your Child About Hunger Awareness

Food & Cooking Blog

Hunger awareness is an essential step in improving conditions for those less fortunate and putting an end to ongoing hunger. But while you may be passionate about this cause, you might be wondering how to approach this topic with your children. Read on for a few ways in which you can help your child understand the importance of hunger awareness. 

Explaining Hunger Awareness

For your child, it might be very difficult to understand the concept of what it means to go hungry. While everyone obviously feels this sensation at some point, long-term hunger can be a harder thing to understand from the perspective of a child who has regular meals. One interesting way to approach this is to ask your child what they think it might feel like to be hungry the entire day. Be patient and compassionate with their answers and explain that many children experience this daily. Explain to your child that while there are many who live in less-than-ideal situations that cause hunger, you can take a proactive part in providing them the help they need. Participating in donation programs, volunteering time, and having a better understanding of what causes hunger are all steps in the right direction. 

Create a Food Drive

Educate your child on what counts as perishable versus non-perishable food items and how this plays into food donation. For example, some donations such as those with milk, dairy products, and meats will need to be delivered immediately, while others, such as canned goods, can be stored for a while. Encourage your child to sort out food items to be donated by looking through your own pantry! Canned goods, boxes of cereal, and grains such as pasta and cookies are all excellent examples of foods that can be donated. Just be sure to let your child know that before you donate an item, you need to check its expiration date and guarantee it hasn't been opened in any way. 

Volunteer at a Food Bank

Getting your child into the habit of volunteer work is an excellent way to teach them that their own decisions can be impactful to others. Explain that it's not just the food that is donated that makes a difference but also the time and effort they place into volunteering. Food banks and soup kitchens are always in need of a few extra helping hands, so make it a family affair! Contact your local food bank or kitchen and ask if there's any way you can help as a family. Even bringing items to donate in a box will help someone who needs them most. It's important to stress to your child that when it comes to volunteering, no act is too small to make a difference.

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26 July 2022

Delicious, Nutritious Berries

I absolutely adore sweet, tasty berries. I especially like strawberries and blueberries. Do you desperately desire to eat more fresh foods this spring and summer? Consider stocking up on colorful berries when you visit your local supermarket or farmer’s market. Berries are packed with health benefiting antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. In addition to eating them by the handful, you can incorporate them into many of your favorite snacks or entrees. For instance, top a cup of plain, Greek yogurt with berries. Put them in fruit, green, or chicken salads. Use berries to make smoothies. On this blog, I hope you will discover ingenious tips to help you eat healthier during the warm weather months. Enjoy!