Kids can adapt to new habits faster than adults. So in the initial few years, if you teach them healthy eating habits, they will reap its benefits for the rest of their lives. Healthy eating makes people fit and strong, while an unhealthy diet can cause numerous diseases and mental issues. In this think-piece, 4 eating habits will give you and your little one a healthy kick-start.
1. Make them eat home-cooked foods daily
Home-cooked meals are always, ALWAYS, healthier than the food available in restaurants or eateries. Though making instant food or ordering something online is easy, this will affect the child’s body in the long term. Therefore, it is best to plan and cook every day.
There are multiple benefits of consuming home-cooked foods, including…
- Most home meals are loaded with important nutrients and have fewer calories. You have full control over the number of ingredients you want to use for the dish. Once the kids become accustomed to eating healthy foods at home, they avoid junk foods.
- Eating each bite mindfully helps the child to appreciate your effort.
- You can ask your little one to join you in the kitchen and help you with simple tasks to create a lovely bond. Thus, your child will also understand the importance of eating home-cooked meals daily.
2. Make sure they are consuming 6 different colored food per day
Nature is filled with beautiful colored fruits and veggies. Each has different vitamins and nutrients, which provide the human body with the necessary supplements. Now, if you’re confused about how you can feed them different kinds of foods. Here are two ways you can do that.
- You can ask them to list their favorite colors. Select the veggies and fruits according to the shades. Then tell them about the foods and let your little one choose what they want for that day. Maintain a record of the colors they ate each day and give them a small prize at the end of the week. It can be one hour extra for a play date or fewer study hours.
- Involve them in home gardening. Teach kids how to water plants, remove weeds, etc. They will be interested to know how the veggies taste. Especially because they took a small part in the plantation process.
3. Avoid any kind of distractions during the eating time
Some parents find feeding their children while watching their favorite cartoons easy. If you are also one of these parents, you unknowingly incorporate unhealthy habits into your kid. Let’s see some cons of distractions during meal time.
- When children don’t focus on what they eat due to watching tv or doing other activities, they will eat more than their body needs. It will lead to obesity and obesity.
- As the brain is more focused on the other activity, it will send wrong signals to the body. They will be less likely to process the taste or satisfaction of the dish.
- Most of the time, kids develop unhealthy eating habits while watching their preferred shows. There is a high chance that they will demand unhealthy snacks during their watch time, and eventually, it will become a habit.
- It affects the metabolism rate of the body. Your child might face indigestion problems.
- The family members will have less time for bonding as they are more likely to watch tv. The child might feel lonely, which is the primary cause of depression, heart disease, anxiety, etc.
4. Switch to vegan lollies
Every kid loves to eat candies. But eating too much chocolate or sugary products can cause cavities, unhealthy cravings, and chances of developing high blood pressure, cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes. That’s where the vegan lollies come in handy. Discover some pros of switching to vegan lollies.
- Vegan lollies contain natural sugar and fruits, which don’t increase sugar levels. So, your kid will be safe from serious chronic disease.
- It has an excess amount of antioxidants that are good for the body.
- Your little one will be intaking essential vitamins and minerals by eating vegan lollies.
- If your kid is lactose intolerant, vegan lollies can be a great option.
Over to you…
Other than the tips mentioned above, ensure your child drinks plenty of water throughout the day. Prepare home-cooked tiffin for school. Remember, if your little one develops healthy eating habits, junk food will not attract them, at least not very often.
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