Where did your eating habits come from?

When I think back to when I was a child I remember my mom making dinner every night and the four of us sitting down at the table to eat our meal. My mom always cooked vegetables at every meal and made sure there was a salad for after dinner. Most of the time we ate fish or chicken and I don't really remember ever eating steak. Now that I am older I eat what I want and can get food all on my own. I don't have to wait for my mom to make dinner like I use to when I was younger. The website http://www.vegsoc.org/info/health1.html#ahea has many different articles about being a vegetarian. One of the authors wrote an article about child vegetarians. The author said, " The eating habits of parents and other careers will be the ones that the child imitates and acquires." I completely agree with this statement. I grew up eating very little red meat and now I only eat fish. Also, my favorite food is salad. The thought of salad being someone's favorite food is pretty silly, but I was brought up with eating salad every night and I love it! My boyfriend was brought up eating tons of meat and starches and to this day that's all he eats. His dad doesn't eat vegetables and since he was the one who did the cooking in the house none of the other family members ate vegetables either. This shows how important a parents role is in their child's diet. It is not healthy for a child to be a vegetarian because childhood is the most important stage for growing in a persons life. If a child doesn't get enough protein they may have problems with their health later on in life. It is also not health for a child to never eat vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are what people need to stay healthy and strong. The best diet for a child is to eat fruits, vegetables, and meat. Of course every child loves cookies and candy. I don't think that a child should be prohibited from these treats, but its important to watch what your child eats and make sure there is a healthy balance. Exercise is another important factor in a child's upbringing. For the most part children who come from active families are the ones who grow up to be active. Its not enough for a child just to eat healthy they also need to be able to go outside and exercise. Exercise doesn't have to be playing soccer or basketball, it can be swimming, boating, or hiking. Parents are the main role models for their children while they are growing up. That is why its important to teach them to eat healthy and exercise.