Healthy Eating Habits
Teaching your children healthy eating habits can set them on course for a healthy life. Using healthy foods in children's lives is vital. Children are growing rapidly and developing every day, so their bodies need a
healthy diet in order to support healthy growth (Burch, 2013). Developed Healthy Eating habits is not natural behaviors. They are learned behaviors. It is important for children to eat foods with lots of rich nutrient to help with brain and motor development in early childhood. Healthy eating is important to good health of adults and especially children. . Encouraging healthy eating at a young age will help kids eat well later in life (gc.ca, 2013) Nutritious foods nourish your body and give you energy to lead a healthy, active lifestyle. Encouraging healthy eating at a young age will help kids eat well later in life (gc.ca, 2013).
Teaching your children healthy eating habits can set them on course for a healthy life. Using healthy foods in children's lives is vital. Children are growing rapidly and developing every day, so their bodies need a
healthy diet in order to support healthy growth (Burch, 2013). Developed Healthy Eating habits is not natural behaviors. They are learned behaviors. It is important for children to eat foods with lots of rich nutrient to help with brain and motor development in early childhood. Healthy eating is important to good health of adults and especially children. . Encouraging healthy eating at a young age will help kids eat well later in life (gc.ca, 2013) Nutritious foods nourish your body and give you energy to lead a healthy, active lifestyle. Encouraging healthy eating at a young age will help kids eat well later in life (gc.ca, 2013).
8 Tips to promote healthy childhood eating
1. Lead by example. Your children are more likely to try new food if you eat them too.
2. Have regular family meals. Knowing dinner is served at approximately the same time every
night and that the entire family will be sitting down together is comforting and enhances appetite. Breakfast is another great time for a family meal, especially since kids who eat breakfast tend to do better in school
(WebMD, 2013).
3. Cook more meals at home. Eating home cooked food is healthier for the whole family and sets a great example
for kids about the importance of food. Restaurant meals tend to have more fat, sugar, and salt. Save dining out for special occasions.
4. Get kids involved. Children enjoy helping adults to shop for groceries, selecting what goes in their lunch box, and preparing dinner. It's also a chance for you to teach them about the nutritional values of different foods,
and (for older children) how to read food labels(WebMD, 2013)
5. Make a variety of healthy snacks available instead of empty calorie snacks. Keep plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grain snacks, and healthy beverages (water, milk, pure fruit juice) around and easily
accessible so kids become used to reaching for healthy snacks instead of empty calorie snacks like soda, chips, or cookies.
6. Limit portion sizes. Don’t insist your child cleans the plate, and never use
food as a reward or bribe.
7. Make it a routine. Offer your kids healthy meals and snacks at scheduled times throughout the
day.
8. Make food the focus. Turn off the TV and put away toys during meal time. Children eat better without these distractions (WebMD, 2013)
1. Lead by example. Your children are more likely to try new food if you eat them too.
2. Have regular family meals. Knowing dinner is served at approximately the same time every
night and that the entire family will be sitting down together is comforting and enhances appetite. Breakfast is another great time for a family meal, especially since kids who eat breakfast tend to do better in school
(WebMD, 2013).
3. Cook more meals at home. Eating home cooked food is healthier for the whole family and sets a great example
for kids about the importance of food. Restaurant meals tend to have more fat, sugar, and salt. Save dining out for special occasions.
4. Get kids involved. Children enjoy helping adults to shop for groceries, selecting what goes in their lunch box, and preparing dinner. It's also a chance for you to teach them about the nutritional values of different foods,
and (for older children) how to read food labels(WebMD, 2013)
5. Make a variety of healthy snacks available instead of empty calorie snacks. Keep plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grain snacks, and healthy beverages (water, milk, pure fruit juice) around and easily
accessible so kids become used to reaching for healthy snacks instead of empty calorie snacks like soda, chips, or cookies.
6. Limit portion sizes. Don’t insist your child cleans the plate, and never use
food as a reward or bribe.
7. Make it a routine. Offer your kids healthy meals and snacks at scheduled times throughout the
day.
8. Make food the focus. Turn off the TV and put away toys during meal time. Children eat better without these distractions (WebMD, 2013)
- Sometimes getting children to eat healthy can be a bit of a challenge. Making eating healthy fun can motivate kids to want to eat healthy. Click below to explore more ways of making healthy eating a fun adventure!
Healthy Tips on what to feed children
-Offer whole fruit and vegetables more often than juice. They have more fiber
(2013,gc.ca)
-Offer 500 mL (2 cups) of milk or fortified soy beverage every day. This will help kids meet their calcium and Vitamin D needs and build strong bones.
-Offer nutritious foods even if they have a higher fat content. Give children
a variety of nutritious foods, including some choices that contain fat (like
milk and avocado)
-Limit foods and drinks high in calories, fat, sugar, or salt, like cookies, chips, and soft drinks.
-Drink water. Encourage your children to drink water to quench their thirst and
replenish body fluids (2013, gc.ca)
Click on the link below to find out more options to making fruits and vegetables, simple fun and delicious!
-Offer whole fruit and vegetables more often than juice. They have more fiber
(2013,gc.ca)
-Offer 500 mL (2 cups) of milk or fortified soy beverage every day. This will help kids meet their calcium and Vitamin D needs and build strong bones.
-Offer nutritious foods even if they have a higher fat content. Give children
a variety of nutritious foods, including some choices that contain fat (like
milk and avocado)
-Limit foods and drinks high in calories, fat, sugar, or salt, like cookies, chips, and soft drinks.
-Drink water. Encourage your children to drink water to quench their thirst and
replenish body fluids (2013, gc.ca)
Click on the link below to find out more options to making fruits and vegetables, simple fun and delicious!
6 Benefits of eating healthy
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For more information on Canada's food guide click on the link below. The link provides you with more information on different food groups as well as the amount of servings a child should be intaking everyday. It also gives you the recommended servings for children, teenagers and adults.
References:
http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/eating-nutrition/healthy-eating-saine-alimentation/index-eng.php
http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/importance-healthy-food-children-12305.html
http://children.webmd.com/guide/kids-healthy-eating-habits
http://www.has.uwo.ca/hospitality/nutrition/pdf/foodguide.pdf
http://www.todayiatearainbow.com/education/parents-corner/
http://www.superhealthykids.com/
http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/eating-nutrition/healthy-eating-saine-alimentation/index-eng.php
http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/importance-healthy-food-children-12305.html
http://children.webmd.com/guide/kids-healthy-eating-habits
http://www.has.uwo.ca/hospitality/nutrition/pdf/foodguide.pdf
http://www.todayiatearainbow.com/education/parents-corner/
http://www.superhealthykids.com/