Healthy Food For Kids

• by admin
• February 23 209

Kids are not born with an aversion to vegetables and cravings for cheeseburgers and fries. They start to like unhealthy fast food through conditioning and exposure over the years. What they see on television and on billboards is the advertisement of mouthwatering and eye-catching food from different brands.  Even if someone doesn’t like this food, there are peer-pressure commercials which make the kids eat junk food excessively.

Parents struggle a lot with providing their kids with healthy food options because everything is available in the ready-to-make packets. Also, it is easier for them to make in their hectic routines. But these ready-to-make packs have preservatives, and they are harmful to your kids in the long run.

Why Healthy Food Is Important For Children?

Children are the future of your country, and hence providing them with education and, shelter, and healthy food intake, is also essential. Natural ingredients without any chemicals are safe for your kids to eat. Eating healthy food also maintains a healthy lifestyle and healthy mind. If you don’t want your child to get into physical and mental illnesses, then start giving them healthy food options. A good diet can be a solution to your child’s emotional well-being as well. It also lowers the risk of opting for suicide at some point in life.

The sooner you make your children habitual of a healthy diet, the better their relationship with food will be. If you want to know the ways to encourage your kids to develop healthy eating habits, then read on:

Eating Whole Foods

Kids should eat food which is whole and not processed. The more the food is in its natural form, the healthier it will be.

Be Ideal For Your Kids

If you want your kids to eat healthily then be their role model. Get this lifestyle started by eating organic things yourself and setting an example for them. When kids are habitual of seeing their parents eating leafy vegetables, they will adopt the same habits, and you won’t have to struggle a lot in making them eat vegetables and fruits.

Make Healthy Snacks Tastier

Presentation is everything when it comes to food. Plate up the nutritious options as eye-catching and yummy as possible. Give some syrup with apples, so they get the same feeling they get when dipping fries in ketchup. These baby steps are helpful for you to make your kids eat healthier options.

Cook At Home

Fast food restaurants have added sugar and fat in their products, so cooking at home is the healthier option for your kids. It can make a huge difference in your kid’s health. You can make food in large batches and don’t feel stressed opting for the safe options.

Involvement Of Kids

Kids enjoy being involved in activities which their parents or elder siblings. Get help from your children in preparing the food at home. They will also enjoy a trip to the grocery store, and you can make them learn about different food.

Healthy Snacks

Make a healthy snack for your kids instead of fried snacks. Give them apples, carrots with ranch and other fruits for snacking instead of fries, chips and cookies. Make them fruit juices and shakes at home rather than giving them frizzy drinks and sodas.

Portion Control

Limit your child’s portion, and don’t ask him to finish his entire plate. Don’t use food and another eatable as a reward for something.

Controlling Sugar In Your Kid’s Diet

In the USA, almost 75% of processed food has added sugar in it. Eating excessive sugar on a daily basis can swing the moods of teenagers, and they are more likely to go into depression and get anxiety attacks. Children are recommended only 3 teaspoons of sugar per day. Sodas and shakes have more than 10 teaspoons of sugar dissolved, which can increase the fructose level in your kids. Some ways of cutting down sugar in your kid’s diet are as follows:

Make Sugar-Free Recipes

Some recipes taste as good with less or no sugar like shakes taste better without the extra sugar.

Avoid Frizzy Drinks

Avoid getting sodas and sugary drinks for your kids; instead, make them smoothies of berries and vegetables like spinach. Freshly made fruit juices and sparkling water can also be good alternatives.

Avoid Ice Cream

Make healthier ice creams and fresh popsicles at home. Take a long ice cube tray and fill it with some fruit chunks and fruit juices, then add a popsicle handle to it and freeze it overnight. This way, your loved ones can enjoy fruity popsicles with no added sugar.

Kids are moldable and could be conditioned either way, healthily or unhealthily. It’s better to make them eat safe food from an early age so that they won’t bear the consequences of unhealthy eating habits. As a parent, it is our duty to opt for the safest options for our kids.