The fall season and the back-to-school diet for kids

Fall season if a time of transition, when we pass from hot weather to cold weather. Children transition from summer vacation time and head back to school. We're used to thinking of it as a new beginning. But for our bodies, it's a time of adjustment, and, sometimes, stress, as our metabolism and immune systems adjust.

Fall food choices should be warm, moist and nourishing. Steamed vegetables, rice with ghee and soft, mushy soups are perfect for back to school time, especially as the weather gets colder. Think about turning to radish, nuts of all kinds, tortillas and whole wheat dishes. Ginger keeps the child's body warm.

Keep your meals well balanced, with a variety of foods. Sweet, sour and salty foods are best for fall. Sweet taste is grounding. Avocado, cherries, grapefruit and carrot are good choices. Sour and salty tastes, like pickles, in moderation, promote healthy digestion, and, for kids, help cut the attraction to sweets. A classic Ayurvedic dessert combines sweetened cream of wheat with almonds.Constipation tends to worsen in the fall, so make sure your kids get plenty of high fiber cooked foods and vegetable oils to keep things moving. Soaked raisins also keep the bowels moving, and kids will go for them, so you can prepare a child's serving after dinner, perhaps mixed with a little ghee.

Do you have any special dietary tips for the back-to-school season? Leave a comment and we can all share them.