Nurturing a healthy eating habit among children has become a crucial topic in recent times, especially because it forms the foundation for lifelong health and development. A child’s body needs the right amount of nutrients at the right time to ensure proper growth. Recently, it is very common to see gaunt and obese children. The modern lifestyle of making fast foods, junk food, and processed foods the first choice for children is causing more havoc than we all bargain for. Many of these junk foods contain a high amount of unhealthy fat, sugar, and cholesterol which in turn could lead to unhealthy dietary patterns.
Naturally, children will pick sweet and salty tastes over sour and bitter tastes, but when they are constantly indulged in fast foods, junk, and processed food over homemade meals, they are more likely to have odd eating patterns throughout their growing stage. This makes it important for parents to put in place measures to inculcate healthy eating habits as early as possible to develop a healthy lifestyle. Simply put, the chemistry between a healthy diet and good health cannot be overemphasized, even in children. Stay with me, and let’s see together how we can form healthy eating habits in children.
What is a Healthy Diet?
A healthy diet is all about eating a balanced and sufficient variety of nutritious foods. It is not excessive, not deficit, but just adequate to meet the energy needs of the individual. However, due to the pressures of the modern lifestyle, and the lack of knowledge of many parents, there is a struggle to establish healthy eating habits in children. The question now is how can I then help my children to eat healthy? Let’s check together.
10 Tips for Parents to Encourage Healthy Eating Habits in their Children.
1. Start early. The earlier you start to inculcate healthy habits, the better for both parties. Getting kids to change their eating habits when they are a little grown-up can be a little difficult.
2. Inculcating healthy eating behaviour in children begins with you as a parent following healthy feeding practices yourself. Your healthy feeding practices will limit unhealthy habits in your children. Also, try as much as possible to eat the same foods as your children.
3. Do not indulge your children by allowing them to dictate food choices to you. I understand that you want to please your kids, but when you allow your children to always make their own choices, and to eat what they like while leaving the rest, they may end up becoming picky eaters.
4. As long as it is within your power, and the child does not have allergies, set clear boundaries about meals and snacks. Let the kids know that you are in charge, not them.
5. Make food fun and appealing. Plate food in a very attractive way. Be creative with your food presentation in such a way that it will appeal to the child.
6. Involve older children in meal planning, take them along to grocery shopping when you can, allow them to pick a new fruit or veggies to eat for that week, and sometimes let them participate in food preparation. It may help them get curious about new foods.
7. Increasing their physical activities may help them to eat more if your children usually don’t like to eat.
8. Reduce food intake that contains added sugars, excess sodium, and high saturated fats, and start replacing these with whole meals like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lean protein, seafood, and low-fat dairy products.
9. Do not use food to pacify or reward children, or make children eat everything on their plates. While it might be done with good intentions, it may affect the self-control of your child when it comes to food. It may also teach children to ignore their stomach cues even when they are full because of fear.
10. Do not judge, abuse, starve, or excessively control your children because they didn’t eat their meals, it may have a negative impact on their perspectives about food. Instead, be patient and communicate positively.
How can I Build Sustainable Healthy Eating Habits for My Children?
- Understand the basis of a child’s Nutrition
Have a foundational knowledge about the essential nutrients children need at different developmental phases. Read about them if you must. Feed them nutrient-dense foods that take time to digest instead of empty calories and sugary foods that will leave them wanting more food. Give them appropriate portion sizes for different age groups.
Usually, a child’s stomach is small and they are energetic, so they’d probably eat more frequently than an adult would. Know the foods that especially impact children’s physical strength, cognitive development, and emotional well-being, and make sure to add them to your meal plans.
- Make Healthy Food Choices
Home-made meals are generally cheaper than regular take-out. Home-made meals do not have to be complicated, also you have control over the cooking method and ingredients used. Replace unhealthy junk food and snacks with healthy food and snacks.
- Avoid giving children surgary juices and sodas, rather stick to water or make fruit juice and smoothies for them.
- Avoid frying a lot, instead, you can bake or grill foods.
- Give your children proteins such as eggs, fish, and even chicken breasts.
- Avoid refined grains as much as possible
- Cut into chunks fruits and veggies, and fill half of their plates with it.
- Keep junk food to the barest minimum in your house and choose healthy snacks instead such as tangerines.
- Balance Nutrition and Pleasure
Create a healthy relationship between balanced nutrition and treats on special occasions. Using food as a reward or punishment should be avoided. Your children know when they are full. Do not force them to clear up their plates, which may lead to overfeeding. This can foster intuitive eating skills that will serve children throughout their lifetime.
- Practice Mindfulness while Eating
Mindful eating is being present while eating. Teach your kids to bring their physical sensations and emotions while eating. This helps to inculcate the habit of focusing and not playing around while eating. Remove distractions like toys and television and bring their attention to the food’s tastes, colours, and textures, savouring the food while also learning dining ethics. It allows the child to discover when they are satisfied or need to eat more. This may also help prevent disordered eating patterns.
- Build Food Literacy
You can take your children to gardens or a farm visit, explain the different foods and plants they can see. Let them know the importance of these foods in the body system. Also, they can be exposed to educational resources and activities that speak volumes about food and its benefits as this will help them to make informed food choices independently in the near future.
- Support Long-term Success
Establish sustainable habits that will grow with your child. Adjust strategies based on your children’s changing needs, circumstances and development.
Conclusion
Children may develop a reluctance to eat or try new foods, and they may even reject their favorite foods later on, which can frustrate you as a parent. Keep trying regardless. With positive language, patience, role-modelling and trying new methods, they’ll come around. Together you will build healthy eating habits that will stick for a long period of time.