I know, it's annoying.
And I will admit it takes an incredible amount of effort to stay organized, healthy and efficient--time that, frankly, many moms aren't lucky enough to have. But since I've practiced it as best I could since the day my children were born (yep, I even made their baby food from scratch) here's what I've learned about getting kids to eat healthy—without acting like the food police.
The Moral of the Story
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All in all, it's important we live a balanced lifestyle. It's okay to allow our children to savor a piece of birthday cake or take pleasure in a slice of pizza at a celebration. Our kids need to know healthy living is not based on a list of rigid consumption rules, it's about making healthy choices that will allow them to enjoy their everyday healthy life. Eventually your kiddos will prefer healthier options over their past unhealthy preferences. So, applaud your kids when they make those healthy meal choices, lead them by your example of healthy eating and, as a family, actively take one step at a time to eat healthy.
Involve Your Kids in the Purchase and Preparation of Their Meals
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The next time you're planning on going to a Whole Foods type of grocery store, ask your kids if they'd like to choose their own snacks--and hype it up! Make their new responsibility sound exciting and very important. Let them choose two or three healthy alternatives to their typical unhealthy snacks. They'll love the idea of being in control of their meals! Think about it, what kid doesn't like to be in charge?
Be Creative with the Presentation of Their Meals
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Butterfly- shaped snacks created by celery sticks, raisins, crackers and bananas are way more enticing to a toddler than vegetables in a tray. Even older kids cannot resist a meal well-presented. The vibrancy and variation of colors in any meal can draw the attention of picky eaters, so try to avoid those bland, uninteresting meal presentations where everything is the same monotonous color.
There's no need to struggle with meal ideas, either--borrow someone else's creativity from a site like Pinterest, and grab the attention of your children.
Set New Healthy Eating Habits as a Family
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As parents, we are role models for our children, especially when it come to our eating habits. If they see us constantly on a new diet plan, succumbing to emotional eating or overindulging in unhealthy snacks, it will not be long before they will duplicate those same bad habits. Beware of those little eyes that are watching what you grab to eat and how you eat. Be candid with any struggles you may have and work together as a family to set better eating habits.
Dr. Anne K. Fishel, co-founder of The Family Dinner Project and a clinical psychologist, has shared that eating dinner together as a family actually increases the likelihood of our children eating fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, recent studies have revealed a link between routine family dinners and lower rates of substance abuse as well as depression. As busy as life can be, it seems making the adjustment to eat together as a family is worth the effort.
Educate Your Children on Nutrition
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Have you ever heard the saying, "we often do better, when we know better?" When I educate my son on the results of poor eating habits or when I tell him what his body requires (water, vitamins, protein, etc.) to grow and thrive, he naturally gravitates toward healthier food choices. Take some time to teach your kids the benefits of nutrition. Empower them by telling them how to read nutrition labels, or help them identify the vegetables or fruits that give them the vitamins their bodies crave.
Stock Your Fridge and Pantry with Healthy Food Choices
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Quite honestly, this is how my family eats healthy most of the time. I simply refuse to stock my pantry with cookies, chips or processed food. This doesn't mean we don't enjoy a cookie or bag of chips from time to time, it simply means we make unhealthy meal choices inconvenient for ourselves. I find we are less likely to treat ourselves with something sugary when it's out-of-the-way and distant.
Another great tip is to put all the healthy snacks within arm's reach in the fridge or pantry for your little ones; or place them front and center.
Help Them Identify the Results of Bad Food Choices
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I have a friend whose daughter's stomach is sensitive to sugary foods. At first, it took them some time to recognize the culprit of her discomfort; but now the young girl knows the trigger of her upset stomach begins with the consumption of large amounts of sugar. Thankfully, with that knowledge my friend's daughter has been able to make better meal choices even when her parents are not around. She takes her sugar intake as serious as a food allergy.
As a parent, I know it sometimes seems easier to help my child treat the symptoms of his poor meal choices, rather than taking the time to educate him on why his stomach hurts. For example, I empower my son by letting him know that the third slice of pizza or candy was most likely the reason why he is experiencing discomfort. If he wants to avoid that pain, he'll need to monitor his consumption and listen to his body. If we help our children correlate the action with the reaction, it will help them identify the results of poor eating choices. They'll be less likely to choose a food item that will recreate the ill feeling they've experienced.
The Moral of the Story
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All in all, it's important we live a balanced lifestyle. It's okay to allow our children to savor a piece of birthday cake or take pleasure in a slice of pizza at a celebration. Our kids need to know healthy living is not based on a list of rigid consumption rules, it's about making healthy choices that will allow them to enjoy their everyday healthy life. Eventually your kiddos will prefer healthier options over their past unhealthy preferences. So, applaud your kids when they make those healthy meal choices, lead them by your example of healthy eating and, as a family, actively take one step at a time to eat healthy.
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