The challenge most parents face is trying to get their children to eat healthy foods. The topic of healthy eating is always a battle or a fight between parents and children, and many times both parties get angry and frustrated.
The easiest way to get kids to eat healthy foods is to start them young. Children form their eating habits before the age of ten. As a parent, focus on these formative years and shape your eating habits early on. Always serve healthy foods at home and prepare healthy lunches and snacks for your children. When you’re at someone else’s house, be courteous about eating their food, but teach your kids how to spot healthier options and encourage them to make those choices. While they are still very young, don’t give them a choice and they probably won’t care at all.
Another easy way to get kids to eat healthy foods is to get them interested in healthy foods. Do this by having a variety of healthy options in your home. If you have lots of different kinds of food, but all of it healthy, then you don’t have to worry about your kids making the wrong choice.
Also, introduce new foods like tofu, different fruits and vegetables frequently. Consistently eating a new fruit or vegetable once a week should be enough to pique your children’s interest in the food groups. Play with your children and have fun with colorful fruits. You can make fruit men with your children, making them interested in many fruits!
It is important to remember to set an example for your children. You can impose all these rules, but if you don’t follow them yourself, your children will see that they don’t have to follow them one day either. During their younger years, children want to be like their parents. If you show them that you eat healthy and enjoy it, they will want to do the same. Even when your kids aren’t around, make the healthier choice. It will be a good practice for you and also for your health!
As you embark on a healthy eating effort, remember to be consistent. ALWAYS eat healthy and choose the healthy option. When you go to restaurants, choose the healthy option for your children and show them how to choose healthy options. Being consistent is the key to having children who eat healthy all the time. If you eat healthy foods at home, but let your children eat unhealthy options when they’re away from home, chances are they’ll develop a taste for foods they shouldn’t eat. So be consistent and it will be worth it!
Lastly, talk to your children. Make them understand why you choose and eat the foods you have at home and in restaurants. If your children are over the age of ten, call a family meeting and talk about how everyone can eat healthier. If you hadn’t started healthy eating habits early, make it a family effort and teamwork. Learn how to minimize fast food, junk food, and microwaveable food slowly but surely. Even if you haven’t started them young, healthy eating is always within your and your children’s reach.