How to Help Kids Make Healthy Meal Choices
Kids have more choice when it comes to food than ever before. It’s far more difficult for children these days to make healthy choices when they can so easily opt for junk food and processed food. As parents, we want our children to make healthy choices so they feel as healthy as possible.
If you want to help your child make healthy meal choices but don’t know how to do it, take a look at these great tips.
Practice What You Preach
If you want your child to choose the healthy option at meal times, you need to lead by example. It’s important to show your children that you’re willing to try new things or eat ingredients that aren’t your favorite to get vital vitamins and nutrients. To do this, you’ll need to eat your meals together.
Eating meals together at the dinner table isn’t just a great way to bond with your kids but also allows you to demonstrate good eating habits too.
Change Flavors
No-one can enjoy everything. There are bound to be foods that your children refuse to eat because they don’t like the taste. However, that doesn’t mean that your children will never eat those foods.
If you want to help your kids eat more fruit and veg, it’s time to get creative. For instance, your kids may be more inclined to eat carrot cake than carrots or may enjoy a pickled beets recipe because the flavor is stronger than just beets. There are many ways you can hide healthy ingredients in foods your kids enjoy.
Get Them Cooking
Kids are more likely to taste food they’ve made themselves. Even toddlers can get involved in making a family meal. Whether your toddler is stirring a mixture or your older children are chopping vegetables, it instills a sense of achievement.
Kids can see the ingredients they’re using and work up an appetite at the same time. Ask your kids to taste test the food as you’re cooking to see what they think of the taste.
Healthy Snacks
All kids love to snack between meals. It’s easy to reach into the cupboard and fill up on junk food that could ruin an upcoming meal. However, it’s important that kids get the energy they need to play and work throughout the day.
Fortunately, there are lots of healthy recipes you can easily make at home that disguise themselves as junk food. From fruit popsicles to hummus and air fryer pasta chips, these healthy snacks don’t take long to whip up.
Patience and Leniency
If there’s a specific food that your child won’t eat but he has a good overall balanced diet, there’s no need to worry. Concentrate on overall health instead of trying to force your child to eat specific foods. Small wins are a great indication that your child will grow up choosing healthy options. It can take a lot of patience to broaden your child’s pallet but it’s worth it.
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