How to Encourage Healthy Eating Habits in Kids

The importance of proper nutrition for both children and adults cannot be overstated. Your kids need proper vitamins and nutrients in order to be healthy and grow strong, both physically and mentally. That’s why establishing healthy eating habits in your home early on is so important. The problem is that ensuring that our children eat healthy foods can sometimes feel like an uphill battle, especially if your kids prefer sweets, fast food, and other types of junk food. Even though teaching our little ones the importance of eating well can be hard, there are ways that you can introduce healthy eating habits in your home as early as now. Here are some tips you might find helpful.

Eat meals together as a family

One of the best ways to encourage healthy eating habits at home is to eat and enjoy your meals together as a family. Eating together doesn’t only allow you to  monitor your child’s eating habits more closely. When you eat together as a family, it gives you an opportunity to model a balanced and healthy diet.

Make it a point to eat meals together as a family at least once a day, if possible. If this isn’t feasible during breakfast or lunch, try to make sure everybody can eat dinner together. Additionally, try to make family meal time  enjoyable and pleasant. When your family sits down for dinner together, this shouldn’t be a time for scolding or preaching. In addition to being a great venue for teaching your kids about the importance of healthy eating, it’s also a great opportunity for family bonding time. 

Get your kids involved in food shopping and preparation

Going grocery shopping together is another exciting way you can teach your child the value of proper nutrition. On your next trip to the grocery store, consider taking your little ones with you. Show them how to make healthy food choices. Allow your kids  to pick out their own healthy food items. Bring them to the produce section and let them grab some of their favorite fruits and vegetables. They are more likely to eat foods they selected personally.

It’s also a great idea to let your kids get involved in cooking and meal preparation at home. Invite them to lend a hand in the kitchen. Assign them small and simple tasks as you whip up healthy meals for dinner. This will provide you with another excellent opportunity to squeeze in some valuable lessons about nutrition.

Encourage healthy snacking

It’s perfectly fine to let your little one enjoy snacks, but make sure it doesn’t lead to overeating. Plan  and be strategic regarding which hours you let kids eat their snacks. Make sure snacktime doesn’t fall too close to lunch or dinner, or it may cause them to lose their appetites. At the same time, be sure to only give kids something healthy to munch on. Enjoying  their favorite less healthy treats is okay occasionally. Just be sure they eat those in moderation. 

Encourage more water intake

Part of a healthy diet includes drinking enough water. When a person drinks an adequate amount of water on a daily basis, the nutrients in the body are transported and absorbed properly. Encourage your little one to drink more water and reduce intake of sugary drinks like soda and juice. Fresh fruit juices contain vitamins, but nothing beats the benefits that come from regular water intake.

Avoid using food to reward or punish your kids

Using food to reward or punish kids isn’t recommended. When you lure them to finish their schoolwork or make their beds in exchange for their favorite treats, it can lead them to believe that less healthy foods are better than healthier foods. Similarly, food also should not be withheld as a way of punishing a child. This can foster a fear and insecurity that they will get hungry or might not be getting enough food. 

Model healthy eating habits

There’s no better way to teach children about healthy eating than by setting an example for them. If you discourage your child from drinking soda or eating too many sweets, make sure he or she doesn’t see you  chugging a can of Coke. If you want your child to eat more greens during dinner, make sure they see you do the same.

Parents may encounter challenges with children at the dinner table when it comes to eating a healthy diet. But with these helpful tips, you can encourage healthy eating habits in your little one and influence them to make better and healthier food choices!

For more parenting tips and resources, or if you’re looking for the best child care center for your child, please visit The Pillars Christian Learning Center.

 

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