If you’re a parent, you’re probably all too familiar with the challenge of getting kids interested in nutritious foods. We’ve all been in a situation where our children refuse to eat their greens or kick up a stink because they want dessert before they’ve finished their main course. When I was a kid, I went through a phase where I would only eat things that were white, which is why my mother invented spinach with rice and mashed potatoes and carrots. It was the only way she could get me to eat something healthy!
If you’re keen to encourage your children to embrace a healthier and more balanced diet, hopefully, this guide will come in handy. Here are some easy ways to get your children into healthy eating.
Cook with Your Kids
You probably know from when you cook at home yourself, that there’s a certain amount of satisfaction involved when you create a meal that tastes great. If you’ve put a lot of effort into a meal, it’s likely that you’re going to enjoy it more. The same rules apply to kids.
If you’ve spent the afternoon with your children preparing ingredients, mixing them together, and waiting to see the results, it makes sense that you’re all going to be enthused about eating your masterpiece. Obviously, there are jobs that are only suitable for adults, but get the kids involved whenever possible.
They can help you get everything ready, measure and weigh the ingredients and then mix them together. Keep things simple when you’re cooking with your children. You don’t want them to lose focus and get bored because they can’t help out with most of the elements. You’ll find a host of easy no bake recipes online, and these are ideal for doing at home with young helpers. If your children show an interest in food, you can also encourage them to learn more and develop their skills by buying some child-friendly cookbooks and kitchen utensils. I have very fond memories of my two kiddie cookbooks: Small World Cook & Color Book and The Cookie Book.
Focus on presentation
No matter what age you are, the aesthetic appeal of a plate of food has an impact on your desire to eat it. When you go to a restaurant, and you’re presented with a beautiful meal, you probably can’t wait to dig in. When you have children, looks are everything when it comes to food, so try and bear this in mind.
You don’t have to be a culinary expert to impress your little ones, but the way you present their meals will make a difference. If you’ve got young kids who are reluctant to eat vegetables, for example, try to be creative and make the plate as fun as possible. Create smiley faces, make animal shapes or use food coloring to make things more exciting. I’ll always remember the fun pancakes my father made for me.
Education
When you’re cooking with your children, take a couple of minutes to talk to them about the ingredients you’re using, and why they’re beneficial. We all know that vegetables are good for us, but explaining why may encourage your kids to eat their greens without any tantrums.
Your child’s health is probably your number one priority. It’s no secret that it can be challenging to get children to eat healthy foods. However, there are ways of making healthy eating more appealing. I hope these suggestions help you out.
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Take Charge of Your Health!
Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.
This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.
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