Creating a nutritionally healthy and balanced diet at home is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure your kids have a healthy life.
But as parents, we can definitely agree that when it comes to encouraging kids to make healthy choices, it’s not always an easy task. So what’s a parent to do?
Ultimately it's all about making smart food choices, and helping your child to develop a positive relationship with healthy food.
Read on for 9 easy ways to a healthy diet for kids...
Secret Parenting Tips on How to Teach Your Kid to be Healthy
Because we know getting kids to eat healthily isn't always easy, we've developed a few ninja parenting tricks that will help.
Getting the whole family to eat well begins by creating healthy choices without being too obvious about it.
After all, for many kids if you say the word healthy, they’ll turn up their nose in disgust!
Especially if their diet has come to rely on those foods that aren't great for their health and nutrition.
Sadly, we all know it's quite normal for kids to push aside our meticulously planned healthy options for the "fun" food, which is heavily promoted through adverts and on TV.
They see the ads for fast food, meal deals and all the rest and they want it all - especially if that's what their friends eat all the time too!
A common myth that many hard-pushed and guilt-ridden parents buy into is, "If I don’t buy the food they like, they won’t eat anything!"
But the reality is that kids, even the teenagers, need to be offered the better foods again and again.
And if you refuse to buy the preferred alternative of instant noodle packs, boxes of sugary cereal, whatever their preferred junk is, they will eventually be either inquisitive enough or hungry enough to try what you are offering.
You've never heard of a child starving to death because his mother refused to feed him junk food, have you?!
Children will choose to eat the healthier foods - eventually.
But it is a process that takes time and creativity, as well as a lot of parental involvement - and example setiing!
There are plenty of healthy foods that your kids can learn to enjoy.
It's simply a matter of making gradual changes and allowing their taste buds to adjust to the changes as you increase the amount of good foods in theri diet.
Many kids are used to eating foods way too high in sodium and fat, and need to adjust to eating new healthier foods.
Yes, this process takes a while but making small changes to the normal routine is key.
Buckle up!
9 Easy Ways to a Healthy Diet for Kids
Follow these tips to help your child (and you as the role model!) make healthy choices that will last a lifetime.
Here are our top 10 tips for getting children to eat healthy food:
1. Don't restrict food.
Restricting food increases the risk your child may develop eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia later in life.
It can also have a negative effect on growth and development.
Also by restricting food you will actually increase the risk of overeating later in the day which will cause weight gain.
2. Keep healthy food at hand.
Children will eat what’s readily available. They get hungry, they eat.
So make sure the foods they see immediately are the ones that are good for them.
Have healthy snacks such as fruits, vegetables, wholemeal rolls and cheese, malt loaf, yoghurt etc, ready and easy to grab in the kitchen.
You will be helping to change your child's food choices by default, simply because your are limiting the availability of junk food and increasing the availability of healthy foods.
By the same token, offer kids a healthy breakfast every morning, the perfect start to the day.
3. Don’t label foods as 'good' or 'bad'.
Instead, tie foods to the things your child cares about, such as sports, academics and hobbies.
Let your child know that lean proteins and calcium in dairy products give strength to their sports and academic performance, the antioxidants in fruits and vegetables add help their skin and hair, and the carbs in whole grains will give them energy to play.
4. Praise healthy choices.
Give your children a proud smile and tell them how smart they are when they choose healthy foods.
Kids thrive on positive reinforcement!
But don’t nag about unhealthy choices. If your child chooses unhealthy foods infrequently, ignore it.
However, if your child always wants fatty, fried food, redirect the choice.
You might try roasting potato wedges in the oven (tossed in just a bit of oil) instead of buying french fries.
Or, if your child wants candy, help them melt a little chocooloate to dip some delicious fresh strawberries into, or make these delicious banana boats.
Too busy? Then keep naturally sweet dried fruit at home for quick snacks.
With consistent effort taste buds change and soon your child will be craving healthy foods.
5. Never use food as a reward.
This could create weight problems in later life.
Instead, reward your children with something physical and fun — perhaps a trip to the park or a game of catch.
6. Sit down to family dinners at night.
If this isn’t a tradition in your home, it should be.
Research shows that children who eat dinners at the table with their parents have better nutrition and are less likely to get in serious trouble as teenagers.
Start with one night a week, and then work up to three or four, to gradually build the habit.
7. Put your kids in charge of packing their own lunch.
Help your kids to make decisions about their packed lunch when they are young and, as they get older, make them responsible for making their own lunch.
Make it the norm that they can pack anything they want as long as they pack food from all of the main food groups.
Kids love 'being in charge' of their own lunch and will be more willing to try new things when you give them the option.
Especially if it means showing off to their friends!
Read more anbout kids' lunch boxes:
8. Involve your children in meal planning and making the grocery-shopping list.
This is a great one to get kids aware of combining foods and covering the family's daily nutritionaal needs.
Let them plan some meals - they could even cook and serve them too!
The more your kids can participate in family meals, the better choices they will be willing to make.
Healthy eating is a family project and everyone should get involved.
You can begin by choosing one night a week where the kids are in charge of cooking but get them involved in planning a whole week and making the list for the weekly shop.
Little kids will find this fun and as they grpw you'll be teaching teens essential life skills such as meal planning, budgeting, grocery shopping, cooking and more.
9. Make physical activity a part of your family's routine.
Be active yourself and share your activity with your kids.
Make one evening a week family bike ride night or family swimming night.
You can play all sorts of fun, active games with your kids, such as football, cycling, skating, and swimming or take family walks and hikes.
Being more active as a family will improve physical and emotional health. Help your kids to find activities that they enjoy by showing them different possibilities.
More kids' fitness tips:
By adopting these 9 strategies you will help your kids transition from a junk food to a healthier diet.
Whether you start when they are tiny or need to work with your teens to turn things around, there's not time like the present so give it a go.
You may be pleasantly surprised.
Just remember, kids of all ages listen more to what you do than what you say so you need to be setting a good example, too!
More kids health tips:
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