Today’s hectic way of life affects our everyday habits and that includes the way we eat. Many people complain that they don’t have enough time to prepare healthy meals, so they resort to fast food and takeaways as these are the most convenient options during a busy week. But this convenience has its downsides – in 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults, as well as over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19, were overweight. These stats illustrate how important it is for you to switch to a healthy eating routine and make sure that your kids pick up some good habits too.
Have one family meal a day
One of the best ways to instill healthy eating habits in your kids is to find time to have one family meal a day, preferably dinner. This way you’ll be able to talk to your kids about how their day was and spend some quality time together. So, instead of grabbing a quick bite and eating pizza, hamburgers, or similar food packed with carbs, your family can enjoy a delicious, home-cooked meal full of nutrients. By making this time enjoyable, you’ll help your kids develop positive associations with healthy foods, and prevent them from reaching out to unhealthy comfort food whenever they feel down.
Limit screen time
Ask your kids not to use their electronic devices during meals. According to a study, parents who let their kids use their smartphones or tablets while they’re having a meal, serve up less fresh fruits and vegetables and more sugary beverages. Moreover, such families tend to have poor communication because of these distractions, and they tend to eat 10% more food at one sitting than they would if they didn’t use their cell phones. In addition to this, kids usually get the munchies while they’re watching TV or playing computer games, so it’s a much better alternative to replace their chips and candy bars with delicious healthy snacks and control their sugar intake.
Try new foods
If you avoid certain foods, your kids will copy the pattern and become picky eaters. So, it’s a good idea to encourage their adventurous spirit and prompt them to try out new veggies and fruits every once in a while. One of the best tactics to get your kids to eat healthy food is to put them in charge of their food choices and allow them to choose vegetables they want as they’ll be more likely to eat them.
Allow your kids to help you prep meals
Yes, it will get messy, and your kitchen won’t be squeaky clean, but if you want to promote eating healthy food, include your kids in the preparation. This is an excellent motivating mechanism, as a study has shown that kids who participated in the process ate 76% more salad and 27% more chicken. To get the best results, assign tasks depending on your kids’ age and skills. Apart from this, you can also involve them in meal planning and grocery shopping, as kids eat better when they have at least a small role in the decision-making process.
Cleaning your plate isn’t a must
It’s wrong to force your kids to eat until their plates are clean because that way you’ll push them towards overeating. Teach them to listen to their body and stop eating when they’re full. The best way to do this is to set an example. If you notice that your kids don’t eat enough, tell them that there won’t be another meal for another two or three hours, so that they can make sure that they won’t be hungry in the meantime.
These simple tips don’t require too much time and energy, and they’re great for establishing healthy eating habits.
About the Author
Zara Lewis
Contributing Writer
Zara Lewis is a writer and a full-time animal lover. Passionate about creating a better world for the generations to come, she is a mum of two, raising them inseparably from their furry family members.
Getting the kids in the kitchen early and letting them be a part of the process is key!
Agree! My daughter loves helping in the kitchen. She loves cooking and trying new foods.
Love these tips!! We even started our own garden so the kids can watch everything grown and now they love to go pick things (even when they are not ready). I also started young with my kids helping with the prepping and I am kind of a mean mom they can’t say they don’t like it until they try it and they also need to eat a specific portion or #of bites before they get dessert. However, if they do try it and they really don’t like it I will happily make them a sandwich.
Awesome on starting a garden. I usually plant a pepper plant or two during the spring and that it. But next year may try growing some tomatoes. I know my little one would enjoy picking them, like your little one. Not a mean mom at all – how do they know if they don’t like it if they don’t try it.
I love that you included that clean plates aren’t necessary! I have horrible memories of being made to sit at the table for HOURS when I couldn’t eat anymore, or when I was forced to eat something that actually made me sick. It was horrible and has affected my relationship with food to this day. I’m glad to see people are changing their ways with this!
Yes, a clean plate is not necessary. It’s only encouraging overeating later in life.
love that you mention clean plates arent necessary! It seems like such an unhealthy way to build a relationship to food!
Awesome tips! Love the idea of letting the kids help! I remember when I taught preschool we did cooking once a week to encourage the kids to try more and it always helped! I also read somewhere it takes kids something like 10-20 times seeing something before they’ll try it!
These are excellent tips for parents with children still at home. I know my daughter and son-in-law actively include their three little girls (ages 6, 4, and almost 2) in meal preparation, baking, and cleaning up. They have all been “helping” since they were old enough to stand and walk on their own!