According to the U.S. Department of Health And Human Services, several factors contribute to children becoming overweight, including genetic factors as well as simply eating too much high-calorie, low-nutrition food and getting too little exercise. Changing a child's genetic makeup is difficult, but you can encourage her to be more active and to make healthier food choices.
Breakfast
Breakfast is often a difficult meal to fit in, especially on hectic weekday mornings. You may have considered letting your child skip breakfast as a way to cut down on the number of calories he eats, but, according to Mayo Clinic nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., skipping breakfast is likely to cause him to gain weight rather than lose it. Instead of skipping breakfast, encourage your child to take advantage of the school's breakfast program. If he cannot be at school early enough to eat breakfast, give him a granola bar and a banana to eat on the way to the bus stop.
Lunch
A good way to help your child make healthy food choices at lunch is to have her pack a lunch instead of buying lunch at school. According to KidsHealth.org, although school lunch programs have gotten better about nutrition, the lunch you prepare at home can be healthier and will prevent her from eating a steady diet of hot dogs for lunch.
A sandwich made with lean meats and low fat cheese on whole grain bread, low fat cottage cheese or yogurt, and carrot sticks make a filling, nutritious school lunch. Fill a thermos with water and a splash of lemon for a refreshing beverage.
Dinner
One of the easiest ways to make dinner healthier for your whole family is to prepare food at home, using all natural ingredients. Instead of replacing all of your child's familiar high-calorie, low-nutrition foods with salads and granola, make the transition more gradual by creating healthy versions of some of his favorite meals at home. If your family is used to eating fast food cheeseburgers for dinner, designate on night each week as burger night. Eventually you can replace the meat with grilled chicken to make the meal even more healthy.
To make healthier cheeseburgers, use lean ground beef, ground turkey or a mixture of the two. Mix herbs such as parsley and oregano and spices such as paprika or garlic into the meat before you shape it into patties. Cook the burgers on a propane or charcoal grill, so that most of the fat drips out of the meat. Top with low fat cheese, fresh lettuce and tomatoes and serve on whole grain buns.
Dessert
Dessert does not have to include high-fat, high-calorie junk food. Make fruit smoothies with low fat yogurt instead of ice cream or milkshakes. Fruit-flavored gelatin is an easy dessert that is healthier than cookies or cake. Fresh fruit salad with sprigs of mint is a classic dessert that offers your family a sweet end to the meal as well as plenty of nutrition.
Snacks
Snacking can actually help your child lose weight, as long as the foods he chooses are healthy. Make sure that he has a variety of nutritious, low sugar and low fat snacks available. Oven-baked whole grain crackers are a good alternative to chips, and fresh vegetables with a yogurt-based salad dressing to dip are a filling and refreshing snack. Homemade air-popped popcorn with Parmesan cheese is a good alternative to microwave popcorn covered in high fat butter topping.
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