If you want your kids to eat better, you'll need to help them make it happen. Kids are adults in-training and whatever they eat, they will become. Food is habit-forming, good or bad--having the choice, we'd all prefer good habits. And this is especially important for our children. Listed below are four ways to help kids eat better:
1. Stock up on a healthy variety of yummy foods for your children.
Fruits and vegetables need to be part of your child's diet, aiming for five servings a day. Serve a fruit and/or vegetable at each meal. Ready to eat fruits and veggies are great snack choices too. If the healthy choices are in the house, the healthy choice is going to make the kids' snack selection that much easier. Other healthy snacks might include yogurt, trail mix, granola or popcorn.
2. Plan meals together, as a family.
Most kids would enjoy deciding what they'd like to have for dinner. Talk with them about balanced meals, and what that means to them. If they decide what they want for dinner, they're more apt to eat the meal once prepared. Some kids would like shopping for ingredients and making the meal too. It's always fun to do things as a family, and making choices for dinner, shopping and cooking together will be fun too! It will help them learn healthy eating habits, as they learn how to cook.
3. Set a good example.
If you're always dieting eating very irregularly, such as different times, skipping meals of snacking in place of meals, your children will think this is normal. They'll have the same eating habits not knowing they should have more regularity with meals. It's not the best message to give your kids. Food habits are just as important as any other habit you may teach your children.
A great way to encourage healthy eating is by eating healthy yourself, even if you are dieting. If you happen to dieting, continue to share meals with your kids, with your family. Portion control and incorporating fruits and vegetables will encourage your kids to eat healthier. It's an important time to spend together. It creates a time to share, to talk, to communicate with each other. It's great family time!
4. Make good choices, limiting fat intake.
Limit fat intake by avoiding deep-fried foods. There are lots of healthier ways to cook, such as broiling, roasting, and steaming. And then with the warm months coming upon us quickly, my favorite way to cook is grilling. And, by choosing low-fat or non fat dairy products to compliment the meal, this will help limit everyone's fat intake-creating healthier meals. My favorite is slow churned ice cream, which is about half the fat as ice creams made with whole milk. You don't have to give up flavor to give up the fat.
Kids, especially younger ones, will eat what's in your pantry or refrigerator. At least they'll try it if you offer it to them, and if you offer them healthy fun foods from the beginning, it will make for a lifetime of great habits when it comes to food choices. This will be one of the most important things you can pass on to your children. Have fun together and enjoy!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?4-Ways-to-Help-Your-Kids-Eat-Better-and-Eat-Healthier&id=6048123] 4 Ways to Help Your Kids Eat Better and Eat Healthier
