The challenge most parents face is trying to get their children to eat healthy foods. The issue of healthy eating is always a battle or fight between parent and child, and many times both parties become angry and frustrated.
The easiest way to get kids to eat healthy foods is to start them early. 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 when eating their food, but teach your children how to spot healthier options and encourage them to choose those options. While they are still very young, give them no choice and they probably won’t care at all.
Another easy way to get children 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 types of food, but all of them healthy, then you won’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 spark your children’s interest in food groups. Play with your children and have fun with colorful fruits. You can make fruit men with your kids, making them interested in lots of fruits!
It is important to remember to set an example for your children. You can make all these rules, but if you don’t follow them yourself, your children will see that they won’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, choose the healthier option. It will be a good practice for you and also for your health!
As you undertake the effort of healthy eating, 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 kids eat unhealthy options when you’re out and about, they’re likely to develop a taste for foods they shouldn’t be eating. So be consistent and it will pay off!
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 you can all 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 didn’t start them young, healthy eating is always within your and your children’s reach.