Feeding your child healthy these days can be a tall order.
Make you home a healthy eating zone so your child can always find a healthy snack. Here is ten tips on how to make it happen!
- The water rule . Drink only water at home. Ban soda, Kool aid and juice. Drink these only when you are eating out and only on special occasions.
- Keep a bowl stocked with your child's favorite fruits. Apples, oranges, kiwi, peaches, pears, plums, and bananas are just a few of the delectable fruits you can choose from.
- Everyone the home must eat healthy. If your child has a weight problem, it is only a symptom of how the whole family eats. It is not fair to make a child eat differently than the others in the family. Healthy eating is a family affair, like or not!
- Give your child more free range when outside of the home. Make sure most of your meals are at home (and are healthy), but when your child eats out, let them eat what they want. At home, talk about healthy choices. Do not lecture or scold your child for poor food choices, especially when you are eating out.
- Have treats in moderation. A great way to teach moderation is to buy only one package of a treat like say, potato chips once a month. When its gone, its gone until next month. Eventually your child will learn to eat a little less so, they can have a little all month long.
- Learn and talk to your child about nutrition. Chances are, if your child doesn't know much about nutrition, neither do you. Read some books or some articles and share what you have learned with your child. Even if they roll their eyes, and act like they do not care, they hear you.
- Find family activities that are active. Turn on the music and dance. Go for a walk or a bike ride. Bowling, swimming, goofy golf, or even cleaning the house. Anything that gets your kids moving will do. Talk to your children about the importance of exercise and set a good example.
- Limit video games and TV time. Studies show there is a direct correlation between body weight, and the amount of time a child watches television and plays video games. Shut off the television and sent them outside.
- Teach your children to cook. This gives you an opportunity to talk about nutritious food choices and give them a valuable skill they can use for the rest of their lives.
- Listen to your child. While, studies show that repeated exposure to certain foods is sometimes necessary in order to develop a taste for them, forcing your child to eat something they hate can cause food aversions. It is also important to encourage your child to trust their body to tell them what they need.
The copyright of the article Nutrition and Children in Nutrition is owned by Samantha Rufle. Permission to republish Nutrition and Children must be granted by the author in writing.
