Getting young kids to eat healthy is likely one of the most difficult, yet important parts of parenting. A healthy diet is important to have throughout life, and it is easier for adults to have healthy eating habits if they had them as a child. The topic of food always seems to be a battleground between parents and their children. However, it doesn’t have to be! Regardless of how old your kids are, these tips can help create healthy eating habits for all ages.
Eat healthy as well.
When you are trying to instill healthy eating habits into young children, you have to walk the walk. Kids are highly influenced by parents and will follow what you do. If they see that their parents do not enjoy vegetables, they likely will associate vegetables with a negative emotion. On the other hand, if kids (especially teenagers) are eating steamed broccoli while you enjoy fries, they may feel as though they are being forced to eat something that no one enjoys. Have everyone enjoy a healthy meal together, so no one feels like the dish is a type of punishment.
Sneak vegetables into other dishes.
When people think of healthy meals, they think of grilled chicken breast and steamed vegetables but healthy eating is so much more than that. Incorporating fruits and vegetables throughout your meals can teach your kids to enjoy vegetables in a more subtle, enjoyable way. For instance, if your kids love mashed potatoes, you could try making the mashed potatoes with carrots to add a bit of healthy sweetness while increasing the dish’s nutritional value. For parents big on smoothies, adding frozen zucchini is a great way to get your kids’ vegetable intake up without them even knowing. Don’t worry, zucchini doesn’t add any flavor, it just adds creaminess similar to how a banana would.
Involve your kids in cooking and shopping.
Most kids love to be part of the decision-making process, especially when it comes to choosing what to eat for dinner. Talk with your kids and work together to choose the menu for the day or week. When you are out grocery shopping, teach your children how to read food labels so they are aware of how to discern if something is healthy or not on their own. Depending on how old your children are, get them to help out in the kitchen as well. Kids will enjoy the meal a lot more knowing that they were a part of the process.
Don’t force food onto your kids.
Likely the hardest tip to follow, try not to make harsh rules related to food for your kids. It is easy to try and bribe children with dessert or a treat if they eat their broccoli, but it may create a negative connection down the line of “reward and punishment” with food. More importantly, kids should be able to decide when they are full versus hungry. It has been instilled in many of us adults to “clean our plates,” but this can lead to overeating. It’s better to teach kids to listen to their bodies and not eat more than they need.
Creating healthy eating habits in children is not easy, but it is well worth the effort to ensure that your children grow into healthy adults. Hopefully these tips have helped you learn some new ways to get your kids to enjoy eating healthy!