Developing a Healthy Relationship With Latine Foods Is a Matter of Perspective

Many of the modern recommendations for healthy eating are culturally biased. Eating well doesn't mean disposing of the Latine foods we grew up with—far from it.

As we prepare our children to return to school, one important thing to consider is lunch. During school breaks and on weekends, we have more control over the foods our children consume. When they are in school it’s harder to know what they’re eating. But by teaching children healthy eating habits from an early age, you can help them make good decisions about food even when they’re not with you. For Latine children, it is especially important since they have the highest prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States, at 26.2% as of March 2020.

According to the CDC, childhood obesity means having a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex. Though it's important for parents to know and understand this, Marina Chaparro, a Latina pediatric dietitian and author, says that being healthy goes beyond BMI and the number on the scale, especially for children whose bodies are still developing.

“As a Latina pediatric dietitian and mom, I believe it’s important to avoid solely equating health with weight, especially when it comes to children,” says Chaparro, RD, CDE, founder of Nutrichicos, and creator of the Feeding Toddlers with Confidence course. “Placing children on diets, labeling them as obese, and even weighing them at school may not be the most effective or beneficial approach. In fact, this might be doing more harm than good. Research shows that children who diet might end up at a higher weight.”

Food isn’t the only factor that impacts the childhood obesity rates among Latine children—there’s also the lack of safe places to play and walk and the prevalence of food deserts or geographic areas where residents have few to no convenient options for securing affordable whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables.

And the scale doesn’t tell the full story. “There can be kids in large bodies who are still healthy. Weight should not be the sole determinant of health, as health is a multifaceted issue,” says Chaparro. “It is essential to avoid blaming individuals, such as mothers, for their children and instead recognize weight issues as complex [as they] involve societal determinants, genetics, and the environment as well.”

Moreover, Latin American foods have a reputation for being unhealthy. But categorizing foods as good and bad is a disservice to our children. “Regrettably, our cultural foods often carry an undeserved stigma,” says Chaparro.

Both with her clients and in the media, Chaparro says she sees common misconceptions around Latin cuisine such as, "Avoid all white foods," "Mexican food is unhealthy," and "Don't eat tortillas. Instead, have cauliflower tortillas."

“Considering that half of the world's population relies on white rice as a staple food, it's worth questioning the validity of these recommendations,” she says. “White rice and tortillas can serve as valuable vehicles to add nutrition. Mexican cuisine has an enormous variety of fruits, indigenous veggies, and legumes that, unfortunately, many people don't know and only associate with enchiladas and margaritas. Healthy eating extends beyond brown rice, chicken, and kale; it encompasses nutritious options that include white rice, beans, avocados, tortillas, and calabazas.” 

The real way to address weight disparities and help Latine communities take better control over their well-being as Chaparro explains, is to improve access to resources and prioritize the social elements that affect health. For more than 14 years, she’s educated and empowered families to break cycles and shift the focus from an all-or-nothing approach to one that centers balance. She teaches her clients how to consume foods that are rich in nutrients while also enjoying fun treats.

“I help families transform their kid's nutrition by teaching them how to create balanced and positive meals, move away from moralizing food as good or bad, celebrate their culture, and be able to enjoy foods in a positive, balanced way—raising kids who enjoy broccoli, tortillas, chocolate, and yes, even fish eyes,” says Chaparro.

In a 2023 Instagram post, she broke down her “10 commandments to raise happy and healthy kids who have a positive relationship with all foods.” Chaparro encourages parents to invite their kids into the kitchen to help positively shape how they view food. “Yes, it will be messy, and it will not go as planned, but it will help your kids learn and explore new foods,” her Instagram caption reads.

Chef Toni Chapman agrees that there are so many options to dive into. The Miami-based Puerto Rican chef cooks delicious cuisine from Latin America and beyond, focusing on balance.

“As a proud Boricua, I enjoy my chicharrón like everyone else, but our cuisine is incredibly diverse, and there are so many fresh flavors that we can incorporate into our dishes,” says Chapman.

A great way to introduce your children to bright, bold, flavorful, and nutrient-packed dishes is to prepare sofrito, one of the primary bases found in several Latin American cuisines. “Sofrito is just a mix of dulce peppers, cilantro, onion, green peppers, and garlic,” she says. “This is an easy clean recipe that you can have on hand that will help you build flavor to your dishes. The options are endless.”

In fact, Chapman says making base ingredients at home instead of buying them at the store gives you more control over your meals. You can also make common seasonings like sazón and adobo and eliminate ingredients you may not want to consume from store-bought versions.

Bren Herrera, an award-winning chef and TV host of Culture Kitchen with Bren Herrera on CLEO TV, celebrates the rich culture of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora. The D.C.-based Cuban chef ups the number of vegetables she uses.

“My philosophy is to always use [fresh foods] as much as possible,” she says. “Frozen vegetables are good to use when seasonal vegetables aren’t in season.”

Ahead of the new school year, here are a few yummy meals that a child can help prepare for lunch. They’re easy, packed with nutrients, and don’t require many ingredients.

Guacamole and Chips

A go-to in my family is guacamole and chips. This simple snack can make for a quick school lunch.

Ingredients

4 ripe avocados, diced

? tomato, diced

? white onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalape?o

1 lime, juiced

Tortilla or plantain chips

A handful of cilantro, finely chopped

Salt to taste

Mince all the veggies. You can make them smaller if you have picky eaters who don’t love vegetables. Involve the kids in the prep by having them add the minced veggies to a bowl. You can remove the seeds of jalape?os if your child doesn’t like spicy food—the seeds carry all the heat! After you add all the ingredients, hand them a smasher to mix everything together. Serve a hearty serving of guacamole with either tortilla or plantain chips. Place an avocado pit in your leftover guacamole to store and keep fresh in the fridge. You can also add one pit in your child’s guac to keep it fresh until lunchtime.

Chicken Quesadilla

Chapman provides simple yet flavorful and healthy meals that work for home, work, and school. With just a few ingredients, your kid can have a comforting meal for lunch. The best part is you can use leftovers, like shredded chicken from the night before, to make it as easy as possible for your tween or teen.

Ingredients

1 cup shredded chicken

1 cup cheese

1 tortilla

When it comes to the tortilla, you don’t have to overcomplicate it. You can use a corn or flour tortilla (flour is more pliable than corn, however) in whatever size you prefer. Your child can handle the entire prep for this meal. Let them grab a tortilla and add cheese and shredded chicken on one side before folding the tortilla. Then, you can grill it on the stovetop on both sides. Cut it in half or into triangle slices to make it easier to handle.

Arroz con Pollo

This is a classic dish that shows that white rice can have a place in your diet.

Ingredients

1 cup rice

1 cup cubed chicken

? cup sofrito

1 teaspoon adobo

1 teaspoon sazón

4 ounces of tomato sauce

You can buy store-bought sofrito and adobo or you can make your own. Sofrito is a mixture of peppers, cilantro, garlic, onion, and other ingredients. (Check out, Chapman’s  homemade sofrito recipe.) Adobo is a mix of salt, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder. Mix it and you have homemade adobo. Your child can take the lead on this task.

Once your sofrito and adobo are ready, cook the cubed chicken in sofrito, tomato sauce, and sazón. While that cooks, your child can prepare microwavable rice. Serve the chicken over white rice.

Plantain Mash

Plantains are a staple in Latin cuisine. This yummy dish will fill your child’s belly, helping to energize them for the rest of their school day.

Ingredients

1 cup cubed plátano maduro

1 cup cooked ground beef

? cup tomato sauce

1 tablespoon of sofrito

Sprinkle of cheese (optional)

Cilantro (optional)

Your child can help you set up a mise en place so you can quickly add ingredients to a medium-size pan. One by one, add the ingredients to a pan. Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally until the plátano is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Serve and garnish with cilantro.

Cuban Picadillo

Picadillo is a quintessentially Cuban dish that’s perfect for lunch. “I’m Cuban so I grew up eating arroz con picadillo. It’s super easy to make and parents can make it the night before to pack for lunch,” says Herrera.

It’s also versatile. “You can also make this into a sandwich, with a less ‘wet’ picadillo,” adds Herrera.

While this might take more skill level to cook, it’s a perfect dish to have your child serve as a sous chef because you can make it in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

2 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

1 pound ground beef or turkey

6 garlic cloves, crushed and minced

1 teaspoon salt (add more to taste)

1 teaspoon Black pepper

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

8 ounces tomato sauce

1 medium Spanish onion, diced

? large red bell pepper, diced

1 cup white potato, peeled and cubed (optional)

? cup apple juice or white or red grape juice

1 tsp. vinegar

? cup Spanish olives stuffed with pimento

2 teaspoon capers, rinsed

? cup raisins

Season meat with salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. Cook beef or turkey over medium heat in a large skillet with cooking oil. Add tomato sauce, vegetables, and vinegar. Stir, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Add olives, capers, raisins, and stir. Reduce heat to low and cook for an additional five to seven minutes until the raisins soften. Stir and adjust for salt.

You can serve it with veggies and rice on the side (instant rice is a good option here) or as a sandwich.

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