Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet can help keep your child lean and active by providing the nutrients she needs to grow and develop properly. It also can protect her from obesity-related diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. Although most parents want their children to eat healthy foods, getting them to eat well-balanced meals and snacks isn't always easy.
Significance
Parents play a significant role in shaping their children's attitudes toward healthy eating. You can help your kids learn to accept--and even enjoy--healthier fare, according to the Weight-control Information Network. Act as a role model for your children by eating well-balanced meals and snacks. Serve your kids a variety of healthy foods. Providing a positive attitude toward food eventually will encourage your children to make healthier choices outside of the home.
Benefits
Regular family meals provide one way you can ensure your children eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. As an added bonus, children who eat family meals are more likely to try different fruits and vegetables. They're also less likely to snack on junk food, drink alcohol or smoke, according to the KidsHealth. When serving meals, emphasize appropriate portion control to help children avoid overeating. Parents who follow overly restrictive diets or who constantly complain about a child's weight can inadvertently send the wrong message about food and healthy eating.
Features
Eating a variety of food groups at each meal can help adults and children get the nutrition they need. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans--a joint release of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture--encourages adults and children older than 2 to eat well-balanced meals rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and dairy, leans meats, poultry, fish, eggs and nuts. The guidelines also urge adults and children to avoid saturated fats, cholesterol, salt, trans fats and added sugars.
Considerations
Although it's frustrating to prepare a healthy meal only to have your child refuse to eat it, MayoClinic.com cautions against turning your dinner table into a battlefield. Avoid bargaining with, bribing or threatening children to force them to eat everything on their plate. Serve family meals at regular intervals, but let your children decide how much they want to eat. Encourage your child to try a little bit of the foods on his plate, especially if you're introducing new foods. Keep offering these foods on a regular basis--it can take as many as 10 tries before a child accepts a new food, according to the Weight-control Information Network.
Prevention/Solution
Getting rid of junk food and replacing it with healthy food can help your children learn to select well-balanced snacks. Replace chips, cookies and sugary drinks with whole grain crackers, low-fat dairy, and fruits and vegetables. Snacks can enhance your child's overall diet by providing her with another way to get the nutrients she needs. Children reluctant to eat their carrots with dinner might relish the chance to eat baby carrots with a side of ranch dressing at snack time. MayoClinic.com's top picks for healthy snacks include frozen fruit bars; fat-free pudding; low-sugar, whole grain cereals; canned fruit and pre-cut vegetables.
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