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So many children are not just overweight, but obese. And everyone from parents, schools, food producers, even the government has had a role in this. That’s the bad news. The good news is that they also all can have a role in reversing it.
I don’t have all the answers, but I do know that one of the first — and easiest — ways to combat childhood obesity is to teach ourselves and our children to cook wholesome, nutritious foods. Which doesn’t mean you or the kids need to sacrifice the foods you love.
Pizza is a great example. Kids love pizza. Heck, I love pizza! I could eat it hot, cold, morning, noon and night. If there was pizza-flavored toothpaste, I’d eat it. But pizza is one of those foods with more sodium, fat and calories than anyone needs.
A large slice of pizza has 600 or more calories with 26 grams of fat. My version? Just 226 calories and 8 grams of fat for two pizza pockets.
OK, technically my recipe isn’t a classic pizza. This is a “pizza pocket” made from nutritious whole-wheat bread and stuffed with traditional pizza toppings. Those fillings are easily adapted to your tastes; I’ve used lean Italian turkey sausage, shredded fresh zucchini, fresh mozzarella cheese, a natural marinara sauce and fresh basil — all low-calorie ingredients.
Plus, this recipe is something your kids can help with. And when kids help make something, they are much more likely to think it tastes good.
Just be sure to resist the temptation to use processed low-fat mozzarella cheese, the sort of shredded cheese so often used on regular pizzas. I used it for years until I experimented with fresh mozzarella. It has a sweet, rich, milky quality, and a low melting point, which allows it to meld with flavors like basil. The fresh variety, unlike the shredded processed form, adds pizzazz to the pockets. And best of all, I have found it as low as 60 calories per ounce, compared to 80 to 100 calories for regular mozzarella.
I know what you’re thinking — why not just buy frozen processed pizza pockets and toss them in the microwave? Fine, if you like preservatives along with your fat and sodium. Plus, it’s important for parents to set a good example by eating and serving healthful, nutritious foods as often as possible.
• Hide any vegetable your child doesn’t like in these pockets. I bet the kids will devour it once it’s covered in sauce and melted cheese.
• Choose bread slices that are square, such as Ezekiel sprouted grain bread. Square slices are easier to fold in half than rectangular slices.
