TOP TIPS TO HELP KIDS EAT HEALTHIER

Kids aren’t born hating veg and craving chicken nuggets, but they develop preferences early on and that’s why it’s important to get them eating and loving healthy food from a young age. Here are some tips to help you do that.

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Eating well can have a huge effect on your child’s well-being – and it goes beyond the physical. Good food helps to maintain a good weight, stabilise moods and sharpen minds. It can even protect against depression, anxiety, and ADHD.

The sooner your young one learns to love the healthy stuff, the easier it will be for them to eat well for life.

Your example and your rules
Did your parents tell you to clear your plate or eat all the broccoli, otherwise no desert? That’s all wrong. Kids must learn their body’s signs that they are full, so it’s best to serve small portions. They can always ask for seconds. Forcing them to eat all the unpopular stuff can start a power struggle about food.

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If you make desert the reward, then eating food becomes the chore. Food as a reward is generally not a good idea. Rather show your love with hugs, praise, and attention, not a sweetie.

Picky eating could become a bigger problem if you regularly make a separate meal for the kids. Encourage them to stay at the table (or sit with the rest of the family) for mealtime even if they aren’t eating much or not at all.

Regular eating is healthy, so set times for meals and snacks. Set the example by not skipping meals yourself.

Clever cooking
You can cheat a little by steaming or boiling veggies and then processing it into a sauce. Stir it into soups or stews and the kids won’t even notice, especially if it doesn’t change the colour or taste of the dish.

Give kids a bit of control over the food by getting them involved in buying groceries or planning meals. There’s a better chance they’ll eat something if they helped to make it. Plus, they might get excited about a dish if they can say it was their idea.

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Balancing the diet
Lots of protein for breakfast – yoghurt, milk, cheese, eggs, meat, or fish – lets them start strong and can prevent overeating during the day.

Watch their weight, but don’t fall for the ‘low fat’ idea. Children need the nutrition of fat and it keeps them fuller for longer.

If you ban sweets, they become even more desirable – especially when your child sees other kids having some. Rather set a pattern for when and how much.

Don’t stress
If the family eats at the table, it’s easier to see what and how much the kids eat but don’t sit there torturing yourself about it. Comment on your own food as you eat, stating how nice it tastes, the pretty colours or how it warms you up. Your positive relationship with food might well rub off on the kids.

Even if you do everything right, you might still have a child who hates the smell of cheese, the texture of yoghurt with “bits” in them or anything mixed together. Try to vary ingredients and how you cook them. A dip can go a long way to make those carrot sticks more appealing, for instance.

Remind yourself that a child’s appetite changes depending on activity, mood, and growth. A day or two with little food or a not-so-great diet isn’t a disaster. You’re doing a great job as is parenting your little rockstar.

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