How to Get Your Kids to Eat Healthy
March 23, 2005
Making sure that your children eat nutritious meals can be a daily battle. Children see about 40,000 ads a year on television. Most of these ads are for cereal, candy, soda, and fast food. However, you still have a greater influence on their eating habits than the media does. Follow this advice to lead your kids in the right direction.
- Kids eat with their eyes, so make it fun and they won’t notice their eating healthily.
- Add texture and taste to their meals. Try serving banana pancakes for breakfast.
- From the time your child is a baby, talk to them about the special things different foods do for their bodies. Tell them how milk helps teeth and bones stay strong, how carrots and corn help their eyes, and how nuts keep their skin healthy. When introducing new foods, tell them what it helps their body do. This will get kids excited to try new items.
- Let your children take part in making a meal, they will eat more. When making omelets or pizza, arrange bowls of various ingredients in little bowls. Let your child customize their food by adding the ingredients he wants.
- Make your own “fast food” by making a big batch of healthy chicken nuggets or baked French fries. Add to the fun by providing yogurt sauce or salsa.
- Introduce the food groups at each meal my giving children at least one option from each of the four food groups. For example, a sandwich is made on something from the grain group, with something from the protein group such as turkey, peanut butter, or tuna. Give a choice of a favorite fruit or vegetable. For the dairy group, give the choice of a glass of milk or a yogurt.
- Serve an appetizer such as a platter of fresh vegetables with a dip such as hummus, mustard, or balsamic vinegar. Children are usually hungry before dinner, so this is a good way to get in their vegetables.
- If your children are not big breakfast eaters, let them eat a slice of pizza, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or macaroni and cheese. Not eating in the morning can cause distraction and lead to a lack of concentration in school.
- Conceal the healthy foods in something they like. Add peas to tomato sauce; carrots and spinach to white rice; or make spinach patties.
- Children learn by example, so make it a rule to always sit down and have dinner with your kids. It is great family time and they are more likely to eat the corn and green beans on their plates when they see you doing it.
