A healthy diet is crucial to your child’s mental and physical development and growth. However, getting your child to understand that eating healthy food is the best choice is sometimes a tricky proposition.
One way to encourage better food choices is to allow your child some input when you go grocery shopping. Let him or her choose which fruit you will buy that week, or which brand of healthy cereal. Offer your child choices when you’re in the shop too, and point out the reasons why you don’t buy certain products – whether it’s because they are high in fat, sugar or anything else.
Making a nutritional chart for your child, and letting him or her get involved in ticking or colouring the boxes in at the end of the day is another idea, and adding interest by trying new fruits and vegetables (even if it will probably take a while before your child takes to them) is another good idea.
Getting your child involved in the kitchen, helping you to prepare meals, is another way to encourage him or her to eat healthy foods, as is making snacks and meals fun. A celery stick with peanut butter and raisins, called ‘ants on a log’ or a smiley face pizza, is a lot more interesting to your child!
Taking your child to a orchard, a dairy farm or a harbour to watch the fishing boats come in are all great ways to make your child more interested in where his or her food comes from, and more likely to want to eat it.
Sneaking healthy foods, like spinach or broccoli, into your child’s favourite dishes, like macaroni and cheese, is one way to get your child to eat healthier foods, or you could try making smoothies with yogurt, fruit and even oats, as an alternative to sugary cereals for breakfast. Choosing whole wheat versions of foods, and watching your cooking methods are two more simple ways to improve your child’s diet.
Juices and other drinks are often a hidden source of sugar, and other dietary no nos, so make sure you’re careful about what you offer your child. Keep fast foods to a minimum, and use them as treats, and offer your own home made alternatives wherever possible. Avoiding convenience foods is another good idea – they’re often packed with fat, sugar and salt, none of which are good for your child.
Last, but not least, make sure that you’re a good food role model. You can’t expect your child to love healthy eating if you eat junk food every day!
One way to encourage better food choices is to allow your child some input when you go grocery shopping. Let him or her choose which fruit you will buy that week, or which brand of healthy cereal. Offer your child choices when you’re in the shop too, and point out the reasons why you don’t buy certain products – whether it’s because they are high in fat, sugar or anything else.
Making a nutritional chart for your child, and letting him or her get involved in ticking or colouring the boxes in at the end of the day is another idea, and adding interest by trying new fruits and vegetables (even if it will probably take a while before your child takes to them) is another good idea.
Getting your child involved in the kitchen, helping you to prepare meals, is another way to encourage him or her to eat healthy foods, as is making snacks and meals fun. A celery stick with peanut butter and raisins, called ‘ants on a log’ or a smiley face pizza, is a lot more interesting to your child!
Taking your child to a orchard, a dairy farm or a harbour to watch the fishing boats come in are all great ways to make your child more interested in where his or her food comes from, and more likely to want to eat it.
Sneaking healthy foods, like spinach or broccoli, into your child’s favourite dishes, like macaroni and cheese, is one way to get your child to eat healthier foods, or you could try making smoothies with yogurt, fruit and even oats, as an alternative to sugary cereals for breakfast. Choosing whole wheat versions of foods, and watching your cooking methods are two more simple ways to improve your child’s diet.
Juices and other drinks are often a hidden source of sugar, and other dietary no nos, so make sure you’re careful about what you offer your child. Keep fast foods to a minimum, and use them as treats, and offer your own home made alternatives wherever possible. Avoiding convenience foods is another good idea – they’re often packed with fat, sugar and salt, none of which are good for your child.
Last, but not least, make sure that you’re a good food role model. You can’t expect your child to love healthy eating if you eat junk food every day!
