Guiding Your Child Towards Healthy Eating

Guiding Your Child Towards Healthy Eating

Today’s families are busy. As soon as the day begins, kids and parents alike are on the run—going to work, to school and then off to after school activities. When everyone is running in different directions, it is no wonder why it is hard for children to learn to eat healthy. Out of necessity or lack of time, many parents simply run through the drive through. Hamburgers and fries every night does little to teach kids about healthy eating. While you can’t avoid quick meals all the time, you can guide your children towards healthful eating.

Provide lots of choices:
One great idea is to make sure you fill your home with plenty of choices. If you avoid buying sugar laden sweets and snacks, then your children will know that you want them to eat healthy. There are many great, and delicious snacks that your kids will enjoy besides cake and cookies. How about low fat yogurt? Put it in the freezer for a frozen treat. Smoothies made with fresh fruit and low fat milk is another great choice. For quick snacks, fill the pantry with healthy crackers, dried fruit and dry cereal that has low sugar content.

Make dinner a priority:
Send a message to your kid about the important of healthy eating and dinner time by making dinner a priority. You will not be able to have a sit down meal every night, but you should aim for three or four nights a week. If you know you are going to have a particularly busy evening, cook ahead. Put food in the crock pot or stock the refrigerator with healthy sandwich fixings. You can even pack homemade soups or wraps as you head out to the soccer fields for the evening. No fast food required.

Read the labels:
Older children are great helpers in the grocery store. They like to make their own choices and they can if you set limits. For example, teach your child to read the labels. If they want a breakfast cereal, give them the opportunity to pick it out without your help. Give them your guidelines, such as it must have less than 10 grams of sugar, and let them read the labels. This helps kids understand what is healthy and what is not. Let your children have some choice in what they eat and they will be happier with the healthier eating lifestyle. Pretty soon, your kids will want to read the labels on everything you buy.

Encourage by example:
Of course one of the best ways to guide your children to healthy eating is by setting an example yourself. Your kids will see you eating healthy and it will catch on. Don’t lecture your kids about the evils of sugar and then sneak off for a bowl of ice cream! This is the worst way to teach children about healthy eating.

As your children get older, they can start making good choices about their eating habits. Make sure they have the tools they need to make the right decisions.

News About Healthy Eating Artist Explores Obesity And Healthy Eating (Scoop.co.nz) 18 Mar 2010 at 5:24pm New Zealand artist Amiria Gale?s latest work explores healthy eating and obesity. Her current works illustrate what she defines as ?Food? or ?Non-Food? ? the difference being crucial in achieving good health and a desirable body weight. Hillcrest class teaches kids about healthy eating (The Wilmington Star-News) 17 Mar 2010 at 3:40pm By Chelsea Kellner Chelsea.Kellner@StarNewsOnline.com Wednesday?s class through the Community Campus at Hillcrest is part of a 10-week series geared to teach kids about healthy eating and cooking from their community garden. Eating Healthy: Fine dining can mesh with healthy habits (New Orleans Times-P... 19 Mar 2010 at 6:45am Healthy advice from Nutritionist Molly Kimball, RD. Olympians visit area high school to promote exercise, healthy eating (WQOW Ea... 17 Mar 2010 at 10:48am Two Wisconsin Olympians visit a high school to promote exercise and healthy eating. Movin' and munchin' was the focus at Chetek High School on Tuesday. Nutrition and healthy eating (Mayo Clinic) 19 Mar 2010 at 12:32am Jennifer K. Nelson, M.S., R.D., L.D., C.N.S.D. Jennifer Nelson is your link to a better diet. As specialty editor of the Food & Nutrition Center, she plays a vital role in bringing you healthy recipes and meal planning. Caldwell Kiwanis sponsors happy, healthy kids show (The Progress) 19 Mar 2010 at 6:25am CALDWELL ? Grandparents and their grandchildren are invited by the Kiwanis Club of Caldwell-West Essex-Young Children: Priority One (YCPO) to dinner and a magic show 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 27 at the Masonic Lodge 8 Smull Ave. The event is geared for children 5 and younger. Through his magic, magician Ken will teach the importance of healthy eating and exercise. There is no charge but ... Somerville, kid's cooking magazine team up to teach kids about healthy eating... 19 Mar 2010 at 7:59am Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Superintendent of Schools Tony Pierantozzi today announced a partnership between the City of Somerville and local cookbook author Sally Sampson, to bring a new quarterly magazine, ?ChopChop: The Fun Cooking Magazine for Families,? to the Somerville Public Schools. Ideas for starting the day with a healthy breakfast (Journal Gazette & Times-... 18 Mar 2010 at 10:28pm Last week healthy eating was discussed because March is National Nutrition Month. To stay with the same theme, a healthy start to each day will be featured this week. Mayo Clinic Health Letter Offers Tips on Healthy Eating After Surgery -- When... 19 Mar 2010 at 3:06pm ROCHESTER, Minn.----Good nutrition, with adequate calories and protein, is important to healing and recovery after major surgery. But the stress of surgery and follow-up care can depress the appetite, alter the taste of food and make it difficult to eat and digest food, sometimes for weeks or months. Healthy eating in Hamp (This is West Country) 17 Mar 2010 at 4:25am HAMP Children's Centre was home to Sedgemoor Life's successful healthy kitchen course for parents and carers.   Healthy Eating Books & Resources World Peace Diet: Eating for Spiritual Health and Social Harmony by Will Tuttle Amazon Price: $14.40 Customer Review: T...   Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh, Lilian Cheung Amazon Price: $17.15 Customer Review: I...   Eat This Not That! Restaurant Survival Guide: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution by David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding Amazon Price: $13.59 Customer Review: T...   The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Food You Were Desig... by Loren Cordain Amazon Price: $9.72 Customer Review: I...   Betty Crocker The 300 Calorie Cookbook: 300 tasty meals for eating healthy ev... by Betty Crocker Editors Amazon Price: $13.47 Customer Review: T...   Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Rea... by Lisa Lillien Amazon Price: $11.36 Customer Review: H...   Gain Weight Fast with safe Weight Gain Pills - "Too Skinny" - Super Strength ... Amazon Price:   3 Ballerina Tea Extra Strength All Natural Dieters Drink Sampler Value Pack (... Amazon Price: Customer Review: I...