How to help your child eat healthy food?

In the modern lifestyle, junk foods are everywhere. Most of the kids are hooked up on junk foods due to friends’ influence or all-time exposure to TV commercials. In many cases, due to parents’ hectic work life and paucity of time, kids are forced to eat outside food or munching on unhealthy snacks. 

The diet is built around the convenience and availability of food items. All these unhealthy habits are taking a heavy toll on the physical and mental health of the kids. But all this can be avoided by switching to healthy options while preparing meals for the kids. It is evident that making kids like healthy foods can be an uphill task for most of the parents around there. But it is not impossible to do. 

Always remember having a healthy food regime can prove beneficial in the long run for you and your children. Let us get to know the benefits of having a healthy diet regime for long-term benefits. Parents have to inculcate healthy eating habits into their children to prepare them for the future. Without a healthy childhood, no child can attain healthy adulthood. 

Benefits of Healthy Diet:

• Less Frequent Appointments with Doctors 
• Improved Health
• Healthy Weight and Body Mass Index
• Keeps Obesity away
• Prevents psychological conditions like anxiety, poor body image and many more
• Improved Study Performance
• Improved Concentration on Important Tasks

Maintain a Healthy Diet Regime in Your Home

Healthy eating habits for children is one of the most important things parents can help them learn. Children mostly need a healthy balanced diet which consists of food from all the three food groups i.e vegetables and fruits, protein foods and whole grain products.

Children need three meals a day along with 1 to 2 snacks for morning and evening. You must note that healthy snacks are as important as the food that you serve your children at meals. Few of the best foods to serve are whole, unprocessed food, fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy meats and home cooked meals.  

Parents should keep an eye for the foods which are consumed by the entire family at home. As per an old saying, it is evident that always change starts from your home. When you prepare all the meals at home, only then will kids understand the importance of healthy food habits. All meals including Breakfast, lunch, and dinner should be prepared with all macro and micronutrients. Every meal should be enriched with protein, carbohydrates, and fat to fulfill the development needs of children. Wholesome foods should be allowed in the home, and all processed foods should be kept at bay. Occasionally consumption of outside food is acknowledged but within limits.

• No processed foods
• Wholesome Foods
• Macro and micronutrient requirements
• Healthy Meals prepared at home

Make Healthy meals with Creativity:

Parents have to be creative while making their children inclined towards healthy eating habits. Kids are not mentally developed to develop healthy habits on their own, but parents have to give support and encourage Kids for healthy eating habits. 

It is vital to make meals tasty as well as healthy. Prepare meals with healthy ingredients but with a creative approach so that children can eat those meals without any tantrum. Every meal should be enriched with vegetables and good fats. Parents have to disguise tasty meals into healthy meals. For example:

• Make meals with mashed carrots and potatoes
• Mash Vegetables while Preparing Meals

Make every portion of the diet healthy and wholesome, which results in the development and growth of children.

Prepare Meals at Home:

Parents should stop indulging in outside foods and restaurant delicacy. Children always follow their parents, and if parents are indulging in outside food, then it is impossible to make children eat healthy foods at home. Parents should prepare meals at home every time. Cooking at home makes children more aware of healthy food habits.

Always remember while preparing meals at home

• No added extra sugar in meals
• No processed Items
• No refined oils
• Only natural and wholesome ingredients

Prepare Healthy Snacks:

Kids love munching on snacks whenever they are hungry. It is advisable to all parents that they should keep healthy snacks prepared at home all the time. Keep healthy beverages at home to consume whenever kids want like fruits, juices, coconut water, and milk. Keep your children away from processed food and chips.

Reward Your Kids:

Last but not least! Whenever your children finish a healthy meal, try to reward them with a small reward. This approach encourages kids to finish healthy meals every time. 

Kids can be challenging in various ways when it comes to healthy eating habits, but parents should not give up so quickly to the demands of kids. Be the change you want to be. Set the example for your children by adopting healthy eating habits.

Please follow and like us: