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An important aspect of parenting is teaching your kids the importance of healthy eating. You don’t need a degree in nutrition to know that you have to indulge in healthy eating habits. A healthy lifestyle consists of a healthy diet and this has a huge impact on your overall health. Even your sleep patterns, weight, energy levels, skin, and hair are influenced by your diet. Therefore, it’s crucial that you incorporate a healthy diet into your daily life and also teach your kids to do the same. But it’s not an easy task because most kids love junk food that’s unhealthy. So, what can you do to encourage your kids to eat right and maintain a healthy weight? Keep reading as we list out nine easy tips for parents:
1. Parents Get The Final Say
Your kids might pester you to get some unhealthy snacks, food, or drinks, but remember that you get the final say. Don’t give in to your kids’ requests for the less nutritious foods even if they throw tantrums. When you stock up on food at home, remember to choose the right kind of food for your children. The decision is yours! They won’t starve and will eat whatever they find in the cupboards. If your kids have a favorite snack that is super unhealthy, you can allow them to indulge once in a while, so they don’t feel completely deprived.
2. Give Them A Little Power
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What your kids eat shouldn’t entirely be out of their control. It might make them fussy and cranky. Therefore, give them a few healthy options to choose from and pick the one they like the most. Let them select what they want and how much they would like to eat. If you are the one purchasing the items, allowing them to choose from those healthy options won’t lead to unhealthy food habits.
3. Dismiss The Clean Plate Rule
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Many parents grew up with the rule of the clean plate, which ideally means that they are not allowed to waste any food, even if they feel full. Avoid forcing this rule on your kids. By enforcing such a rule, your kids do not listen to their bodies and stop when they feel full. If you allow your kids to eat how much they want and stop when they feel full, they are likely to avoid overeating.
4. Start Young
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Food habits develop early on. Therefore, introduce your kids to different foods right from their early years. You could offer them a few bites of different foods and allow them to find what they like the best. If your kids are slightly older, tell them to take a bite or two to decide if they like the food item.
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Several restaurants have specific kids’ menus that are tailor-made for children. However, they often contain unhealthy food that include an overload of deep-fried foods and sugars. Instead of opting for a kids’ menu at restaurants, create your very own menu so your kids can choose from a variety of healthy options. Don’t resort to the ones you find in cafes and restaurants, as that limits your kids’ choices. By expanding their options, you even encourage your kids to experiment with different food.
6. Avoid Empty Calories
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A chicken burger might not be the healthiest of choices, but the chicken, bread, cheese, and veggies add certain nutritional value to your kids’ diet. However, when it comes to sugary beverages, sodas, and other aerated drinks, they are merely empty calories and provide absolutely zero health benefits to your kid. Therefore, make sure your kids do not overdose on them.
7. Don’t Motivate Them With Desserts
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How often do we hear parents saying things like, “If you eat your veggies, you can have ice cream”, or “You can have chocolates if you finish your dinner”. It’s a common practice and should be avoided. Making desserts the sole reason to eat dinner could prove detrimental to your kids’ health. It will end up becoming a habit that becomes very hard to break.
8. Avoid Substituting Love With Food
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Treating your kids with food to reward them might not be the best idea. When you start showing your affection and appreciation by buying your kids food, it might lead to them developing an unhealthy relationship with food as they grow up. Offer hugs, attention, and praise instead of food treats.
9. Be An Example
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No matter how much you teach your kids the right way to eat healthily, they will follow what you do rather than what you teach them. Therefore, set the right example and follow all the tips we’ve listed in this article yourself. Kids model their parents’ behavior, so you have to be responsible with your eating habits too.
Food is the most simple joy of life, but if you don’t establish a healthy eating habit from the time you’re young, it could lead to health complications in your adult life. You could also develop eating disorders that may affect other areas of your life, both mentally and physically. Therefore, be mindful of what you teach your kids so they can establish a healthy relationship with food. Do you have any tips to add to the list? Comment below and let us know.
