An 8-Step Guide for Parents Promoting Kids Healthy Eating Behaviors

Does your little one with a sweet tooth pester you for confectionery every time you’re exiting the grocery store? How often have you implored them to ‘finally eat their broccoli’? Educating your offspring about healthier food choices could make the difference between coercing a young foodie to eat something they dislike and giving them the confidence to select food they know will benefit their bodies. Here’s a list of eight methods to instill healthy eating habits in your child:

Promoting Kids Healthy Eating Behaviors

1. Promoting Family Bonding and Food Education

Scientists have long understood that families bond more when they share meals. Demonstrating table manners and consuming diverse foods introduces your child to positive and socially advantageous eating behaviors. Talk about how various foods can boost their bodily and mental health and the roles certain foods play.

2. Encouraging Mindful Eating and Reducing Screen Time during Meals

Watching television or playing video games during mealtime can interfere with our perception of how much we’re actually consuming and if we’re still hungry.

Research indicates that individuals tend to consume more when eating in front of a screen. When you gather for a family meal, encourage your child to chew their food slowly and appreciate the joy of sharing a meal together.

3. Fostering Healthy Eating and Financial Literacy via Food Shopping

Invite your kid to shop for groceries. Review the shopping list together and assign them to locate specific items. This also serves as an excellent opportunity to discuss budgeting for healthier choices and how much more you can get for your money when smart decisions are made before shopping.

4. Teaching Children Nutritional Literacy

There aren’t ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods, just the amount and frequency with which they’re eaten. Avoid using food as a reward or bribe, and try not to withhold food as a punishment to prevent negative associations with food.

Teach your child how to read labels to help them identify serving sizes, appropriate amounts of sugar, saturated fats, and sodium, and how to spot highly processed products, depending on their age and understanding.

Allow your child to practice making nutritional comparisons and aid them in sorting different food groups and figuring out the correct serving sizes.

5. Promoting Shared Family Meals and Role Modeling

Kids are more inclined to try foods that they observe their family eating on a regular basis. Consuming a generally healthy diet as a family fosters good eating habits in your children from an early age, enhancing the chances of these habits carrying on into adulthood.

This also signifies that everyone has the same meal at dinner – naturally, families should always be mindful of dietary limitations and food allergies, but parents shouldn’t assume the position of a short-order cook.

6. Experimenting with Various Methods of Cooking the Same Meal

Some kids might despise steamed carrots, but they might adore them raw, especially when immersed in hummus or ranch sauce! Consider sensory issues; a kid might not enjoy long, slippery spaghetti, but curly pasta or wagon wheels might be easier for them to handle with a fork.

Remain open-minded and explore different options. Your family may stumble upon a new favorite dish.

7. Fostering Responsibility and Confidence in Children through Meal Preparation

Preparing food together imparts a sense of responsibility and ownership. Cooking requires considerable time and patience, and acquiring these skills promotes self-reliance and self-assurance.

Cooking skills differ among individuals, so varying degrees of supervision are necessary. Young chefs can whip up a fantastic meal with even the simplest of kitchen skills, like using a microwave oven or an electric tea kettle.

8. Choosing Simple Recipes Together!

Try to choose a meal your child enjoys or search online together for a recipe they’re eager to try. It’s important to ensure the recipe is simple, not too complex, and within your child’s capacity to execute with some assistance.

Any recipe can be enhanced by acquiring more independent cooking skills that your child can apply to any future meals they decide to tackle.

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Kid-Friendly Cooking

Boosting your child’s confidence in the kitchen is a breeze! Begin with these straightforward, nutritious, and popular recipes:

a. Whole-Wheat English Muffin Pizza

Who can resist pizza? Toast a whole-wheat English muffin, smear some tomato or pesto sauce over it, and top it off with cheese. Your child will receive a portion of whole grains and dairy products, plus the possibilities for adding exciting, fresh, and healthy veggies and toppings are endless!

b. Soup with Chicken and Noodles

Kids will adore this recipe for its adaptability. Just include what suits your family and their tastes. Let your child assist in chopping any vegetables they like (under supervision, of course!) and measuring spices, such as powdered garlic, tarragon, or parsley herb.

Cook a whole chicken by boiling it, then take it out to separate the meat from the bones, toss in the chopped veggies, and add the shredded meat back into the broth towards the end of cooking.

You may want to add rice, beans, or fun-shaped pasta at this stage! Top it off with salt and pepper, and your child will be proud of themselves for creating such a refined and tasty meal!

This recipe can also be tailored to a vegan or vegetarian diet by leaving out the chicken.

c. Nut Butter and Fruit Roll-Up

Spread a whole wheat tortilla with your favorite nut butter (peanut, sunflower, and cashew are all great choices) and top it with slices of apple or banana. Roll everything up burrito-style. This recipe is particularly handy if you need a quick bite on the move.

d. Homemade Fruit and Yogurt Popsicles

Provide your child with an additional dose of fiber and probiotics with this delightful snack. The fun part is making the popsicles!

Let your child assist in chopping up their favorite fruit (this could be anything from berries and melons to slices of kiwi). Place the diced fruit into popsicle shapes and layer it with your chosen low-sugar yoghurt. Freeze it and enjoy.

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Finally: It’s about Adopting a Healthy Lifestyle, Not Just Following a Diet

The key is balance. Dessert probably shouldn’t be a daily indulgence; however, having a slice of birthday cake at the occasional get-together or ice cream on a hot day is entirely fine.

Stick with foods as close as possible to their natural form and less processed, such as fresh fruits, veggies, and nuts, and seeds.

Attempt to make healthy food ‘swaps’, like opting for diced or mashed fruit on pancakes instead of syrup, or using avocado on your sandwich as a substitute for mayo, and using a lettuce leaf instead of white bread to wrap around lean protein.

Limit your child’s consumption of sugary beverages, juices, and sodas, which can be quickly consumed and contribute to ‘empty’ calories.

Motivate your child to be adventurous with food! Allowing them to help in the kitchen will boost their confidence. Applaud their healthy food choices and when they opt for the more nutritious alternative when given a choice.

Your child can also practice these skills through fun and adventure with Kids Academy, whose additional educational and entertaining resources will foster your child’s development.

Also Read:

• Are You Giving Pure Milk To Your Kids?
• Does Your Kid Know Where His Food Is Coming From?
• Solid Food For Babies – 9 Healthy Recipes