The promise of healthy eating and the average family lifestyle often don’t mix. Juggling work, general domestic life and other day-to-day family niggles often make the idea of healthy eating another aspect to our lives considered a chore. For busy families, convenience is king, and having an army of critics at the dinner table querying food placed before them makes the idea of healthy eating even more painful.
A good diet can help sharpen mental function, balance energy levels and improve the moods of children. Maintaining the balance of the main food groups (veggies, fruit, grains, lean meats, poultry, fish and dairy) is important for the growing bodies of your resident youngsters. But, with fast food companies appealing to us on vast levels in hectic times to a fussy audience, how can we promote a healthier diet? These tips can encourage your child to start eating healthily.
Imitation
Set out a good standard for your children to see, learn and follow from —lead by example. Teaching your children healthy habits, and modelling these habits in yourself, will help your child maintain a healthy lifestyle through to their young adult lives.
Ditch the lap-trays! Eating together at the dinner table can also be a great chance for you to communicate with one another, and also learn from each other. This will set a basis for you to introduce new foods to the whole family, and also bond with one another. Sitting at the dinner table together is also a great opportunity for your children to model manners and encourage etiquette at the dinner table.
Association
Prepare your child’s usual favourites alongside new options. The association of their previous dinnertime pick alongside new food will create a more positive impression regarding the ‘different’ option placed before them. For example, instead of choosing chips as a side, replace them with carrot sticks and a dip. There are many healthy alternatives; let your imagination run wild!
Visuals
Help promote your child’s interest in food by choosing colourful fruits and vegetables for mealtimes. Striking colours within our dietary choices look more appetising.
Serve food in a fun fashion; create patterns, faces and names with food. It will make the previously daunting task of serving up unknown foods into something fun and personalised.
Engagement
During your next shop, bring along your children and encourage them to choose the healthy options that appeal to them the most– they will be more eager to try what they have chosen themselves.
Also, let your kids take part in preparing family meals. It will make the healthy eating process a lot more appealing for your little nippers, and will make them want to try new foods that they have prepared themselves!
Positivity
Never shine a negative light upon healthy eating. Always congratulate your child for finishing a healthy meal, and praise them for trying new options. Encourage them in a positive way, and never tell them off for not being able to finish new choices. As said previously, children associate, and therefore negative connotations regarding healthy food will push them away further. Positivity is key to promoting healthy eating to your family; never consider it a chore or burden.
So, here’s to an easier healthy way of life! These tips will aid your old-to-new food transitions, and make the tyke in your life more accepting of new choices.