Building Healthy Eating Habits for Your Kids

One of the most important things that you can do as a parent is to make sure that your child eats a healthy diet. Children who develop healthy eating habits early in life are more likely to continue those eating habits into adulthood. Getting your children to eat healthily can be quite challenging. Fortunately, there are things that can be done to make it easier. Below are some things that you can do to help your children develop healthy eating habits:

Model Good Eating Habits

Children naturally want to imitate what their parents do. That is why it is important for you to model good eating habits. You should also eat with your children as often as possible. Studies have shown that children who frequently eat meals with their families are less likely to be overweight or obese. Furthermore, children who eat with their families are less likely to use drugs and alcohol.

Encourage More Water Consumption

Excessive sugar intake is one of the culprits behind the obesity epidemic. Forty-six percent of the sugar in the average person’s diet comes from energy drinks, sodas, and fruit drinks. Children who drink sodas every day are 60 percent more likely to be obese, which is why you should limit your children’s consumption of sodas and other sugar-containing beverages. Water is the best drink because it does not have any calories.

Serve Nutritious Snacks

Children love to snack, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, the vast majority of children are eating unhealthy snacks, such as chips and cookies. Those types of snacks should be eaten infrequently. Veggies with dips and fruits are the ideal snacks for children.

It is also important to note that just because something is labeled low-fat does not mean that it is healthy to eat. There are a number of low-fat snacks that are still very high in sugar, sodium, and calories.

Encourage Your Children to Eat Slowly

Nutritionists have found that it is easier for a person to detect fullness when he or she eats slowly. That is why you should encourage your children to eat very slowly. People who eat slower usually consume less food.

Do Not Let Your Child Eat In Front of the Television

There is a strong correlation between television watching and obesity. Children who eat in front of the television are more likely to overeat. The kitchen and dining room are the only places that a child should be allowed to eat in the home.