As society moves upward with technology and advancements, it seems our health is going in the opposite direction and becoming less and less robust.

Not only is our health becoming weaker and weaker, but it’s also starting to show in the next generation at earlier and earlier ages.

This is not a good trend.

Poor health means less time on earth. Less time means society can’t advance and keep progressing.

Poor health also means the lifestyle of hunting vanishes in time.

It disappears.

This is bad news.

There is good news though.

The good news is I am not going to throw up the white flag and surrender to this trend.

I believe we can ensure this meaningful lifestyle of hunting continues to exist.

All we need to do is make sure the next generation of hunters has better health.

Aka start a new tradition.

Here is what we can start doing.

The parents/guardians of the next generation of hunters can start by reflecting on what they are feeding their kiddo(s).

What we feed the next generation of hunters will contribute to how their physical and mental health are operating.

It will play a major role in their energy levels, body composition, gut health, behavior, disease prevention, and much more.

Helping our kiddo(s) cultivate a better foundation of health will lead to a lot of good things for them, us, society, and this lifestyle.

Doesn’t that sound good?

So, start reflecting on what you are feeding your child or children.

A few things might initially come to your mind but the real way of determining what you are feeding them is to look at what is in your refrigerator and pantry.

What do your refrigerator and pantry contain?

Do they contain packaged foods?

Do they contain whole foods?

Foods with a variety of ingredients?

For most, they probably contain a variety of what I mentioned.

The trick is to figure out which ones can elevate the health of the next generation of hunters and which ones can degrade their health.

Here is a simple way of determining what foods elevate and degrade their health.

If the food comes from something grown or has moved on this planet, then it most likely will elevate their health.

If it doesn’t, it most likely will not be in favor of their health.

In general, the types of foods that can degrade their health are packaged with added ingredients.

It is all about the ingredients.

Some of the top ingredient categories to watch for are:

• Vegetable/Seed Oils
• Processed Sugar
• Refined Grains/Flour
• Soy

There are many examples for each category that are used in many food products today.

All of these are discussed more in-depth in my upcoming book, Your Hunting Healthspan. 73 ways hunters can age better and prevent disease.

For this article though, I will list common food products that contain these ingredients that are often fed to the next generation of hunters for breakfast.

I say breakfast because that’s the first food they are starting their day with.

The common food products containing these ingredients are often found in cereals, pastries, sugary beverages, waffles, and so on.

One of the thoughts that might come to mind is, “well if we shouldn’t feed our children these foods for breakfast what should we feed them?”

A few alternative breakfast ideas that would be in favor of their health and to start their day off better:

• Eggs (pastured raised), aged cheese, and avocado
• Yogurt (full fat) with blueberries
• Steak (grass-fed), raw carrots, and banana

Having breakfast with these foods will not only be in favor of their health in the long run, but it will also help their physical and mental health in the short run.

Aka they will feel better and dominate their academics!

Typically, the biggest limiting factor for breakfast and most meals, in general, I often witness is under-eating protein from meat/fish for the first meal.

This goes not only for the next generation of hunters.

But also, for adults.

Less protein from meat/fish consumption for your first meal means you are way more likely to snack later, have energy crashes, and indulge in packaged foods that lead to gaining more unnecessary weight.

You might be thinking, “well I don’t have the time to cook meat or fish in the morning before they go to school so what shall I do then?”

I got you covered.

One option is to pre-cook the meat/fish the night before so they can reheat it first thing in the morning.

Option two is a good tip if you are looking for a cheaper, quick, and easy way for your child/children to consume more protein for breakfast.

This tip is not something you were probably expecting to hear…

And that is: Go to a fast-food drive-through.

Here is why.

At a fast-food drive-through, you can order beef patties or chicken breasts that can be wrapped in tinfoil with nothing added for a very low price.

It is quick and easy and meets the goal of obtaining protein for them for breakfast.

If you are on a budget this would be a good option.

The trick though is that you order the meat without sauces, buns, condiments, and so on.

These little add-ons you can order defeat the whole purpose of getting the protein to begin with.

Which is, to lessen the unnecessary foods and ingredients that degrade their health.

Just plain meat wrapped in tinfoil is all you need to order.

“Well, is the meat good quality?”

The meat at these fast-food drive-throughs may not be the best quality meat they could consume like that bought at the grocery store.

However, though, you have to think of food as a hierarchical setup.

Beef patties and chicken breasts from a fast-food drive-through are a probably better option than cereal-like fruit loops that contains pesticide and health-limiting ingredients.

So, in this case, protein from a fast-food drive-through is a good option.

“Well, they can’t just eat meat, right?”

Don’t worry, I have you covered.

When you pull up to the fast-food drive-through, here is what you order.

3 plain beef patties and…whole fruit.

Not the fruit in a cup with a bunch of processed sugar added.

Whole fruit like a banana inside of a peel or apple slices.

If this can’t be achieved, purchase a bunch of whole fruit at the grocery store.

There are many known and unknown variables that can contribute to better health for the next generation of hunters.

It is not about being perfect and strict, it is about being better.

Analyzing the contents of the refrigerator and pantry is a great first step to set up the next generation of hunters for success.

The quality of the foods found in those locations will have a big impact on their physical and mental health.

We must change the tradition of feeding the next generation poor-quality foods.

If you are a parent/guardian who needs additional help in terms of feeding your kiddo(s), feel free to reach out via email and we will help you put a plan together.

This article is just the beginning of a series of calls to action for the parents and guardians of the next generation of hunters.

Let’s set up the next generation of hunters for success and keep this lifestyle alive.