How to Instill Healthy Eating Habit in Children?


Teaching your kids healthy eating habits from the very childhood is necessary to keep them healthy lifelong. Besides, healthy foods are needed for children for proper mental and physical development. A healthy diet also helps them to maintain weight. If you instill healthy eating habits in your children, one day they will grow into healthy adults.

Parents of preschool toddlers often get anxious about how to instill good eating habits in children. But, a dietician of a primary school in Torrance, CA says that you do not need to be a nutritionist to raise a healthy eating habit in your children. They offer you some guidelines and this will encourage your kid to eat right and grow healthily.

Childcare Torrance, CA experts say that as the taste buds of your children are not mature yet; children may reject some food when you first introduce it. But, do not give up. Give them that food whenever you eat that. After 10-11 times they will gradually acquire the taste and will start to enjoy it. Praise them when they try the new food. Enjoying new food is a sign that they are growing up.

Preschool expert advises not to force your children to eat certain vegetables or food items which they dislike most. It may create a complete apathy or phobia to that food. What you can do is request him or her to taste a little amount of that food. Appreciate them when they do that. But, offer that food every time you prepare that at your home. Use your innovative brain to prepare a tasty and attractive dish with those vegetables your children dislike most.

Prepare one colorful food for your children daily. It will attract them and arise their appetite. Moreover, different colors have different health effects. Carrots, pumpkin, mangos are so orange because of beta-carotene which supports eye health. Green herbs like coriander, spinach, lettuce are so green because of the rich presence of chlorophyll which boosts up energy. The beat is red because of iron content. You can mix all these colorful fruits and vegetables to make a healthy dish for your children.

Restrict the quantity of the food. Some children cross the limit of eating when they get their favorite food. But it is not at all a healthy habit, as this habit may lead them to obesity.

Quit the clean plate rule. Let kids stop eating when they feel they’ve had enough. This approach does not help kids listen to their bodies when they feel full. When kids notice and respond to feelings of fullness, they are less likely to overeat.

Write a weekly breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu somewhere and check you are not repeating the same menu in two consecutive days. Take the suggestion of your kids while fixing the menu.

Keep them stay away from junk foods as much as possible. But do not stop that. They may turn into a rebel.

Encourage them to drink plain water daily. It will detoxify them.