Good nutrition is important for development at all ages; however, kids often need help making good food choices and learning about proper nutrition. Parents hold primary responsibility in teaching their kids good nutrition. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to help instill knowledge about healthy eating in your children, and plenty of resources are available to help kids learn more on their own.
Features
A nutritious diet for kids includes a variety of foods from the five major food groups: whole grains, high-quality protein, vegetables, fruits and dairy products. In addition to these dietary staples, parents should make sure children are getting enough calcium and iron because these two minerals are particularly important for development. Fats, oils and sugar should be limited to help avoid obesity and diseases like diabetes.
Benefits
Children who follow good nutrition incur many benefits, says the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health, on its Weight Control Information Network. These children will benefit from having a healthy weight, avoiding obesity and obesity-related diseases, having more energy, building stronger bones and muscles and developing more positive feelings about themselves.
Government Involvement
Because of the importance of good nutrition for children, the U.S. government has developed programs to teach kids how to eat healthy. MyPyramid.gov contains games, posters, coloring pages and other activities for parents to use to help teach their kids about nutrition. Presenting healthy nutrition as fun is a good way to get kids involved in making their own nutritious food choices.
Parents' Role
Parents are the biggest factor in whether kids learn about nutrition or not. Parents act as a role model to show their children what to eat. Parents also control what their children eat. Offering high-quality, nutritious foods to kids helps those kids learn about healthy eating. Parents should offer fruits and vegetables at every meal and serve healthy snacks instead of sugary or fatty foods. Making kids aware of food-related peer pressure and media images is another way for parents to teach children about good nutrition and to help them make nutritious meal choices when they are away from home.
Family Meals
Kids are more likely to develop good nutrition habits if their families have daily family meals. According to the Nemors Foundation's Kids Health, children who eat family meals eat more fruits, vegetables and grains than kids whose mealtimes are more haphazard. They also eat less junk food and are less prone to using drugs or alcohol later in life. Family meals don't have to be overly rigid. They can be as simple as shared takeout food with mom and dad or as elaborate as a planned Sunday brunch with grandparents and other relatives.
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