Tips to Make Healthy Eating Habits in Children


Perhaps you all agree that getting children adjusted to a healthy and nutritious food habit is a big challenge. Children have a natural unwilling attitude towards healthy food. But according to child care experts, a healthy diet is necessary for both the physical and mental development of children. Daycare Palos Verdes Estates, CA offer some practical advice to parents so that they can make healthy eating habits for their children.

Parents are told to set two major mealtimes as lunch and dinnertime fixed. When you maintain the time, the biological clock will be set in a way so that they will feel hungry automatically before sitting for the meal. Unless they have an appetite, they will not take their food happily.

In Palos Verdes Estates, CA, the caregivers advise that let your children eat with other family members together. If you give them food alone, they will not find any interest to take their food. When they sit at the dining table with other family members, they learn the perfect eating behavior. They take their food in a relaxed friendly atmosphere. If possible, eat the same food that your child is eating. Encourage them to learn good habits like using a knife, but do not stress them to learn the habit. Calmly discourage your child from throwing or spitting foods. Meals should be taken in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere as much as possible.

Do not serve the same foods daily to your child. They will feel bored. Make a food chart for them in your leisure time and follow them. While making the food chart consult your children. They will feel happy about seeing new foods daily.

Try to make their food colorful as much as possible because children have a natural attraction to color. Use red, green, yellow bell paper; green leafy vegetables like spinach, parsley, coriander leaves; orange vegetables like carrot, pumpkin; etc. while making food as much as possible. They will add not only vibrant colors to the food but also are a good source of minerals and vitamins.

Teachers suggest that include your children in the time of cooking so that cooking and eating becomes a joyful experience. Tell them to make their breakfast. Allow them to cut vegetables and fruits but supervise them all through so that they do not cut their fingers. Tell them to make the salad and arrange the dinner table. This will help to make them understand that eating is an enjoyable experience.

Allow your children to serve food to themselves as well as to others. They will enjoy it. Children like to eat different foods like chips, chocolates, fizzy drinks, etc. These are unhealthy foods as most of these foods contain a great amount of salt, sugar, and oil and are harmful to the healthy growth of children. But do not stop the child's intake of these foods totally, just restrict them. You may use them as reward food. For example when your child finishes the plate of vegetables. Reward them with a small packet of chips.