It's no surprise that parents may need some help understanding what it means to eat healthy. From My Plate food guide to the latest food trends, it can be very confusing.
The good news is you do not need a degree in nutrition to raise healthy children. Following some basic guidelines can help encourage their children to eat well and maintain a healthy weight.
Here are 10 key rules to live by:
1. Parents control the supply lines. You decide which foods to buy and when to serve them. Although children are bothered by their parents for less nutritious foods, adults should be in charge when deciding which foods are regularly stored in the house. The children do not go hungry. They eat what's available in the cupboard and fridge at home. If your favorite snack is not as nutritious, you can still buy it occasionally so they do not feel deprived.
2. In the food offered, children can choose what they will eat or whether to eat anything. Children need to have a say in the matter. Set meal times and regular snacks. From the selections you offer, let them choose what to eat and how much of what they want. This may seem a little too freely. But if you follow step 1, your kids will be choosing only from the foods you buy and serve.
3.Quit the "clean plate club." Let kids stop eating when they feel they have had enough. Many parents grew up under the rule of cleaning the plate, but that approach does not help kids listen to their own bodies when they feel full. When children notice and respond to feelings of fullness, it is less likely to overeat.
4.Start them young. Food preferences are developed early in life, so offer variety. Likes and dislikes begin forming even when kids are babies. You may have to serve a new food several times different for a child to accept it. Do not force a child to eat, but offer a few bites. With older, ask children to try a bite.
5.Rewrite children's menu. Who says kids only want to eat hot dogs, pizza, burgers, and macaroni and cheese? When eating out, let your children try new foods and they might surprise you with their willingness to experiment. Start by letting try a little of everything that we ask or ordering an appetizer for them to try.
6.Drink count calories. Soda and other sugary drinks add extra calories and in the way of good nutrition. Water and milk are the best drinks for children. Juice is good when it is at 100%, but kids do not need much of it - 4-6 ounces a day is enough for preschoolers.
7.Put sweets instead. Occasional sweets are fine, but no dessert to become the main reason for eating dinner. When dessert is the prize for eating dinner, kids naturally place more value on the cupcake than the broccoli. Try to stay neutral about foods.
8.Food is not love. Find better ways to say "I love you". When foods are used to reward kids and show affection, they can begin to use food to deal with stress or other emotions. Offer hugs, praise and attention instead of candy.
9.Kids do what they do. Be a role model and eat healthy yourself. When it comes to teaching good eating habits, try to set the best possible example. Choose nutritious snacks, eat at the table, and do not skip meals.
10.Limit TV and computer. When you do, you'll avoid mindless snacks and encourage business. Research has shown that children who cut down on TV-watching also reduced their percentage of body fat. When the TV and computer are limited, you will find more active things to do. And limiting "screen time" means that you have more time to be active together.
The good news is you do not need a degree in nutrition to raise healthy children. Following some basic guidelines can help encourage their children to eat well and maintain a healthy weight.
Here are 10 key rules to live by:
1. Parents control the supply lines. You decide which foods to buy and when to serve them. Although children are bothered by their parents for less nutritious foods, adults should be in charge when deciding which foods are regularly stored in the house. The children do not go hungry. They eat what's available in the cupboard and fridge at home. If your favorite snack is not as nutritious, you can still buy it occasionally so they do not feel deprived.
2. In the food offered, children can choose what they will eat or whether to eat anything. Children need to have a say in the matter. Set meal times and regular snacks. From the selections you offer, let them choose what to eat and how much of what they want. This may seem a little too freely. But if you follow step 1, your kids will be choosing only from the foods you buy and serve.
3.Quit the "clean plate club." Let kids stop eating when they feel they have had enough. Many parents grew up under the rule of cleaning the plate, but that approach does not help kids listen to their own bodies when they feel full. When children notice and respond to feelings of fullness, it is less likely to overeat.
4.Start them young. Food preferences are developed early in life, so offer variety. Likes and dislikes begin forming even when kids are babies. You may have to serve a new food several times different for a child to accept it. Do not force a child to eat, but offer a few bites. With older, ask children to try a bite.
5.Rewrite children's menu. Who says kids only want to eat hot dogs, pizza, burgers, and macaroni and cheese? When eating out, let your children try new foods and they might surprise you with their willingness to experiment. Start by letting try a little of everything that we ask or ordering an appetizer for them to try.
6.Drink count calories. Soda and other sugary drinks add extra calories and in the way of good nutrition. Water and milk are the best drinks for children. Juice is good when it is at 100%, but kids do not need much of it - 4-6 ounces a day is enough for preschoolers.
7.Put sweets instead. Occasional sweets are fine, but no dessert to become the main reason for eating dinner. When dessert is the prize for eating dinner, kids naturally place more value on the cupcake than the broccoli. Try to stay neutral about foods.
8.Food is not love. Find better ways to say "I love you". When foods are used to reward kids and show affection, they can begin to use food to deal with stress or other emotions. Offer hugs, praise and attention instead of candy.
9.Kids do what they do. Be a role model and eat healthy yourself. When it comes to teaching good eating habits, try to set the best possible example. Choose nutritious snacks, eat at the table, and do not skip meals.
10.Limit TV and computer. When you do, you'll avoid mindless snacks and encourage business. Research has shown that children who cut down on TV-watching also reduced their percentage of body fat. When the TV and computer are limited, you will find more active things to do. And limiting "screen time" means that you have more time to be active together.
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