The battle between children and a healthy lifestyle rages on in homes across America. Almost 20 percent of children between the ages of six and 11 are considered obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fatty snacks, sugary sodas and unhealthy eating habits are partially to blame. To help teach kids healthy eating habits, you must foster a healthy relationship between kids and food, not as a cure for boredom, but a way to fuel bodies and gain nutrition. You can instill healthy habits by giving your kids choices and involving them in meal planning and preparation.
Step 1
Ask your children to help you plan, shop for and prepare meals, suggests PBS Parents. By involving your children in the preparation of food, they can see the various ingredients and choose healthy menu options that they want to eat. As you prepare meals, you can talk about each ingredient and what it does for the body, like carrots in a stew that help eye function.
Step 2
Offer your children various choices when it comes to eating healthy foods. Forcing your children to eat a plateful of spinach can mean an unhealthy relationship with healthy foods and eating greens, warns HelpGGuide.org. Instead, offer two healthy choices and allow your children to choose which they'd like to eat. Then, kids feel in control.
Step 3
Stock your house full of healthy options and get rid of sugary snacks, empty-calorie drinks and juices, and any other foods that your child may find more appealing than healthier options. If you don't have it in the home, it simply isn't an option, notes "Reader's Digest." Instead, add kid-friendly snacks to your cupboards and fridge, like veggies and hummus, peanut butter and whole wheat crackers, and fruit and yogurt. Teach your kids to automatically reach for the healthy choice.
Step 4
Eat together as a family for major meals. KidsHealth.org, a division of the Nemours Foundation, notes that kids who eat meals with their families tend to be healthier adults. As you eat together, you spend time as a family. Eating in front of the TV or in the car can lead to overeating and fast food fixes. Healthy meals should be prepared and eaten together at home for the healthiest impact on your kids.
Step 5
Show a good example to your children to help instill in them the importance of healthy eating habits. If you admonish your kids to eat more vegetables while you nosh on a fast food burger, your advice will fall on deaf ears. Make healthy living a family affair and work together to create healthy habits for the entire household.
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