Are you dealing with fussy eaters daily at home? When was the last time your little one said – “Oh! Thanks for the delicious lunch.” We all know that mothers since ages have been struggling to make their children eat healthy diet. As parents it is vital to encourage our kids for healthy eating and this need to be ingrained in them right from a very tender age.
If you are trying to cajole your little boy and girl to give the green leafy vegetable a chance, this list of tips can help you encourage your kids to indulge in healthy eating.
1. Involve them in the process of cooking – Cooking can be a fun activity for kids. Involve them in preparing healthy dishes. When your child prepares his/her food himself/herself, he/she would enjoy eating it. You could ask them to help you in chopping, washing vegetables, and garnishing the meal.
2. Encourage organic farming – Involve children in growing vegetables and fruits at home. Gardening can be another fun activity. While your child learns the process of how a fruit is grown, he/she will connect directly to healthy and fresh eating.
3. Eat with the family – Going out to eat with family is a very common trend these days. Eating together also helps the kids to bond with their family. It is said that the family, which eats together lives together.
There are so many hotels and restaurants, which specialize in a variety of foods. Order something different every time. When your kid will watch you eating something different, even he/she will love to try it at least once. When a kid eats with his/her entire family, he/she will not feel conscious and would be more forthcoming trying something new.
4. Educate kids about healthy eating – It is important that the parents and family discuss about the advantages and disadvantages of a particular dish. Listening to them the kids will understand the goodness of certain foods. Parents can make it a rule to serve rainbow food every day, which means that the food must include different items in different colours. This will ensure that the kid enjoys the best of every dish.
5. Make eating out a celebration, while keeping health in mind – Eating out should always be made a joyful event, which will keep everyone in a jubilant mood. At the same time, it is important to understand that eating out does not necessarily mean eating oily food. Today, there are many healthy options available. You should always be conscious about your health and the same thing must be reflected when placing an order at a restaurant. Try to keep calories, oil quantity, etc., in check while eating out.
6. Organise a get-together – Keep organising parties and get-togethers where you can invite friends of your children. The menu can have delicious healthy food prepared by your child. You can also organise games related to healthy eating.
7. Pack healthy tiffin – Lunch is a very important part of our daily nutritional requirements. Thus, when you pack tiffin for your kid, make sure that he/she gets energy from the food that can help him/her to study better and indulge in various high energy requiring sporting activities. Make sure that he/she not only eats healthy, but also a fulfilling lunch. Restrict eating junk food that may look tastier but are very bad for health. Experiment with lots of healthy and colourful salads, sandwiches and soup.
Make smart and healthy choices for your kid and ensure that he/she grows up well with his/her growing nutritional demands.
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