Teach Your Child Healthy Eating Habits
Healthy eating habits may be a trendy issue, but the emphasis is on young adults and the older generation. Meanwhile, an unhealthy eating lifestyle mostly starts at an early age. So, it is important that we teach children healthy eating habits.
Poor health caused by unhealthy eating habits in childhood can continue into adulthood and put your child at risk for several chronic health conditions such as childhood obesity. For example, children with unhealthy weight gain can become depressed and have a poor self-image and low self-esteem.
Check out these healthy eating habits that can benefit your child:
These tips can help you teach your kids eating habits that will equip them for a healthy future and a positive relationship with food.
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Help them make healthy food choices instead of commanding them. Make it your goal to have a variety of nutritious healthy foods, fresh fruit, and healthy snacks available at home. This practice will encourage healthy eating habits and help your children learn how to have a healthy relationship with food and good eating habits.
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Be a good role model by eating healthy foods yourself and limiting the number of unhealthy foods at home.
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For instance, instead of serving meals with sugary drinks, try serving meals with water or fresh homemade juice.
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Avoid eating out or having takeout food too often. With a busy work schedule, taking care of kids, and a home, it seems almost impossible to cook a home-cooked meal often.
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But make it a priority to cook family meals at home as much as possible, so you don’t have to worry about what goes into the food.
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It also helps to build good healthy habits of cooking at home with younger children, so they don’t grow up with the habit of picking up junk food or fast food.
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Get kids involved shop and cook with them. Take your children along when food shopping. Teach kids the benefits of having healthy food options. These actions give them a perfect opportunity to learn about healthy nutrition and meal planning.
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Not only will this give them a sense of achievement but also, even picky eaters are generally more willing to eat foods that they help prepare.
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Have regular meals together. Always make it a point to eat dinner with your kids. Use family meal time to have friendly conversations. Family meals are a chance for parents to introduce kids to new foods and to be role models for healthy eating.
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Try not to use food as a punishment. Avoid punishing your children by denying food from them. This can lead your children to fear that they will not get sufficient food.
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In effect, you then cause them to worry, and your children may try to eat whenever they get an opportunity — leading to unhealthy relationships with food.
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Plan for healthy foods outside of the home. Know the meal plan at school for your child's diet. Find out if they can have a healthy option or pack their lunch and include a variety of foods. Also, select healthier choices when you do eat out.
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Avoid eating while watching TV. Watching TV while eating slows the metabolic rate, causing the food to digest slowly and fat to burn slowly. Eating while watching TV makes it difficult to pay attention to feelings of fullness and may lead to overeating. Eat dinner together at the dinner table and turn off the TV, even if the whole family isn't present.
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If your child eats while watching television, this may cause the child to have low metabolism. Try to eat only in the dining room or kitchen.
These healthy eating habits will positively affect your children’s health and lifestyle throughout their adult life. The sooner you introduce wholesome, nutritious choices into a child's diet, the easier they'll be able to develop a healthy relationship with food that can last them a lifetime.
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