Sharing some tips on teaching children healthy eating habits.
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Today’s issue is important and I am sure that many of my friends out there have some amazing tips to share the comments.
Teaching children about healthy habits early is one of the most important things we can do as parents. Healthy eating habits can instill at home and lay the foundations for a life of prosperity. The teaching process can be large, provocative and sometimes overwhelming, especially with selective eaters and the abundance of available foods available.
Today, I wanted to talk about some practical and effective tips on how to teach children healthy eating habits in a way that is enjoyable, sustainable and without stress.
(Baby! I can’t even)
How to teach children healthy eating habits
The development of a positive relationship with food begins young people. Children learn better with example and parents play a huge role in shaping their children’s choices. Today, I share some thoughts on why teaching healthy eating habits are vital, how to encourage children to make nutritional choices and some easy habits to introduce home.
A friendly note here I am not perfect and this is always an ongoing project. Our children certainly still have sugar, food dyes and processed foods, but this is the exception, not the rule. Fortunately, they eat a lot of fresh, organic, whole foods, and mostly supply their small bodies very well. They are wonderful eating, and these are just some of the things that helped us. This post is for information purposes and not medical advice.
Why healthy eating habits are important to children
Healthy eating habits formed in childhood often transfer to adulthood, affecting long -term health, weight management and general well -being.
Teaching children to eat a variety of dense foods that help:
Support appropriate growth and growth
Reinforce the immune system
Create good eating habits that prevent future health problems
Reduce dependency on highly processed foods with high sugars and unhealthy fats
Encourage a positive relationship with food and an estimate for balanced meals
It is much easier to configure a child’s eating habits early instead of trying to change unhealthy patterns later in life.
How can parents encourage healthy eating habits in children
1. Be a role standard
Children mimic their parents’ behaviors, so demonstrating healthy eating habits is the key. Show them that you enjoy fresh fruits, vegetables and balanced meals and will be more likely to follow your lead. One of my favorite ways to make kids to eat giant salads when they were little was to make a huge for myself with many fun textures and ingredients. They always wanted “bites” who ended up with me to share half my meal with them. So I introduced them to so many foods.
2. Make lunch pleasant
Create a positive atmosphere on the table. Avoid pushing children to eat certain foods and encourage exploration. Let them try different textures and flavors without judgment. We would always ask, “a polite bite” when we try something new. If they didn’t want to eat it, we encourage them to try a polite bite and if they weren’t a fan yet, they didn’t have to eat it. Zero pressure.
3. Participation of children in shopping and grocery cooking
Take your kids to the grocery store and let them help choose healthy foods. The girls always surprise me with the fruits and vegetables they choose and always eat them. It’s such a fun way to try new things! Their involvement in Prep Meal makes them more excited to eat what they helped create. They love to help make energy bites, cut vegetables, make hummus and chicken.
4. Offer a variety of food
Exposure children to different food groups and flavors early. The more varied their diet, the more likely they are to develop a preference for healthy foods over processed options such as french fries and sugar snacks. Although it is so easy to stick on a journey, I try to constantly rotate what we have for meals and dinners, so that they are exposed to different flavors and textures.
5. Teach the understanding of a section size
Help children understand portions control by serving the appropriate sections of meals and snacks. Let them hear their hunger and fullness instead of forcing them to clean their plate. I am just trying to balance their plates and if they want seconds from anything, this is great. It’s my job to provide food. They can decide how much they want to eat. We never forced them to be a member of the Club Clean Plate and when they were small, if they didn’t eat much, I would wrap it and put it in the fridge when they suddenly starved just before bed.
6. Keep healthy snacks accessible
Store fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and other healthy snacks. When nutrients are easy to grab, children are more likely to eat healthy. I keep all the healthiest snacks on the lower shelves of the refrigerator and cabinet so that it is easier to grab and eat. In the refrigerator, they can find yogurt, hummus and vegetables, proscuitto, cheese, guacamole packages, chicken sliced and different sauces to dive, energy bites, bars, tsiana, etc.
It is worth mentioning here that I buy a lot of our snack staples at Thrive Market < - This link gets you 40% off your first order!
7. Limited processed foods and additional sugars
While occasional delicacies are okay, try to minimize the highly processed foods containing excessively added sugars. Instead, choose whole foods that provide more nutrients and energy. For us, highly processed foods are things we have when we are not at home. I don’t keep a ton of these things at home, so they are not really available on a daily basis, but it will be when we are out with friends, on a street, at a party, etc. It’s not just part of everyday life.
8. Encourage the balanced meals
Teach children how to build balanced meals by including protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates rich in meals and snacks. I try to make sure that every meal and snack have protein, fat, carbohydrates and some kind of fruits or vegetables (sometimes both).
One of their favorite meals is sushi roll in a bowl:
What are good healthy eating habits to teach children
Here are some of the foundations I worked with over time:
Eating a variety of food groups
Recognizing the signs of hunger and fullness
Drinking water instead of sugary drinks
Choosing whole foods over processed snacks
Practice of careful consumption
Sit down for family meals whenever possible
Avoiding food labeling as “good” or “bad” but rather the balance of understanding
Listening to their body needs and making nutritious food choices
So tell me, friends: What are some of the things that helped your family?
If you are looking for more resources, check my post for fun kids and children’s meals
Xoxo
Tiger
