Children who eat a healthy diet from birth are better equipped to eat well throughout their lives and have a reduced risk of health conditions associated with poor eating. Children gain a taste for the things they eat often. If you give your kids healthy foods right from the beginning, they will develop a liking for those foods and continue to want them as they grow. Incorporating a balanced diet will help prevent obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure as they get older. In addition, getting used to a healthy diet in childhood gives your children the tools to make good choices on their own.
Step 1
Familiarize yourself with the Food Guide Pyramid for Kids. This tool from the United States Department of Agriculture will help you determine how much food from each food group you should be feeding your child, based on age and size. This information can be found online or at your child's pediatrician's office.
Step 2
Give your child a variety of foods from all the food groups. This includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy. The key is to give them lots of foods from each group because this will ensure that they are getting adequate amounts of nutrients from their food. In addition, getting children used to a variety of flavors makes it easier to get them to eat things they have never tried before.
Step 3
Prepare food using healthy cooking methods. Avoid frying foods and roast, grill or bake them instead. The latter techniques cut fat and calories from the meal and are healthier ways to prepare foods. A diet high in fatty and fried foods can lead to heart disease and obesity. Use these healthy methods to prepare meats, vegetables and potatoes. At the same time, make a move toward reduced-fat dairy products and choose lean cuts of meat while also cutting back on processed snacks, candy, soda and desserts.
Step 4
Watch your child's snacking. Snacks are an important part of your child's diet because they keep hunger at bay while she waits for her next meal. Be sure the snacks you provide are healthy and weigh in at around 100 calories to prevent weight gain. Limit snacks to a couple of hours before mealtime so your child is hungry enough to eat a healthy breakfast, lunch or dinner. Good options include low-fat cheese and crackers, fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, or dry cereal that is low in sugar.
Step 5
Allow your children to have a hand in food preparation. Kids are often more likely to try something if they helped prepare it. Let your kids choose recipes, shop for the ingredients and cook the meal with you so they are more inclined to give it a taste. This also gives you the chance to talk more with your child about what makes a healthy meal and how best to cook it to preserve its healthiness.
Step 6
Keep trying. You can often give your child the same food more than 10 times before they decide they like it. Keep providing little bites of healthy foods and eventually your child may just give it a try and find out that it is a food he likes and wants to eat more of.
Tips and Warnings
- Some health conditions require a specific diet plan so speak with your child's pediatrician before you make any dietary changes.
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