Helping Children Enjoy Healthy Eating
Children often respond very well to activities that involve ‘bright colours,’ ‘fun,’ ‘games’ and ‘excitement.’ If one can make, eating healthy ‘fun’ and ‘exciting’ then changing a child’s way of eating to a more healthy and nutrient dense based plan will be a lot easier.
Health Article
How To Help Children Enjoy Eating Nutrient Dense Whole Foods
The earlier that a child is introduced to healthy, whole foods the easier it will be for them to follow a healthy diet for the rest of their life. If a child has already been exposed to more processed foods, then it can be challenging to transition to a healthier and more nutrient-dense diet, yet it is not impossible. This article has been written to provide some suggestions for helping children include more nutritious and healthy foods to their daily eating regime in ways that will be more gentle and ‘fun.’
Health and Wellness
Fresh Ingredients, Fun, Tasty Meals
Eating food is a daily part of life and therefore what children are ‘taught’ about this subject will affect them for the rest of their lives. Children need to be taught how to have a ‘healthy’ relationship with food. Learning about nutrition and what one’s body needs to maintain good health is a crucial part of life. Children can be taught about nutrients at school, but are much more likely to follow what they witness and experience. Teachers can teach in theory, but parents have a greater influence when it comes to modeling ‘healthy’ eating on a daily basis. The study of food and nutrition can be fun and creative. Children can be taught about the various vitamins and minerals and how certain fruit and vegetables replicate certain body parts and have been scientifically proven to nourish those body parts. For example carrots are known to be very nourishing to the human eye, and if you cut into a carrot and look at the center, it looks like the pupil and iris of an eye. Walnuts look like mini-brains (with a right and left side) and are known to be beneficial for brain health. Kidney beans are in the shape of a human kidney and are known to aid in lowering blood sugar.
Below are some tips that can encourage children to eat healthy foods:
Arts And Crafts
A is for Artistic
Children need to play and although it has been said, ‘do not play with your food’, having fun ‘creating’ one’s meals will aid greatly in the enjoyment of the whole experience
Basically Beautiful
B is for Basic
Children do well with concise and basic instructions. Printing out clear instructions for children to follow with bright colours and pictures can make healthy eating easy
Colors And Creation
C is for Creativity
Children need to be allowed to express their inner creativity. What better way is there to encourage this ‘creativity’ than in the area of healthy eating habits?
Designer Food
D is for Design
Designing a meal from nutricious foods can be greatly empowering for children. Many children have most of their meals prepared for them. Teach them to design their own recipes
Exciting Eating
E is for Excitement
Food creation can be exciting when put together in fun and interesting ways. Making food into exciting shapes and forms can encourage children to enjoy meal times
Fun Food
F is for Fun
Children will almost always want to be involved in any activity involving fun and flavour. Meal prep can be stressful for parents. Allow the children to be involved
Giving Generously
G is for Generous
Giving so that others may have food is also a very good lesson. Having food is a basic human need and right. It is important to teach children to be aware of the needs of others
Honey and Health
H is for Honey
Including healthy sweetners such as honey will still provide the needed, ‘sweetness’ that kids love while also providing numorous nutrients and health benefits.
Including and Bonding
I is for Inclusion
Children have a basic human need to be ‘included’. Including children in meal preperation will not only aid in bonding with your child, but will teach them competency
Juices with a Twist
J is for Juices
Kids love juice. Processed juices can be extremely harmful. Juices made from fresh fruit and vegetables can be highly nutrient dense. Add a special twist and kids will love it
Kindred Interests
K is for Kindred
Children do well with change when their friends have kindred interests. Sharing your health tips with your child’s friend’s parents can be very helpful with inspiring change
Love and Laughter
L is for Love
Children function at their best when they know that they are loved. Teaching kids to love their bodies by eating healthy foods is important for a healthy body image
Health and Wellness
Concluding Thoughts
The physical body has some survival needs that include fresh air, pure water and ‘nutrients’ that come from foods. Disordered eating has been a major issue in every nation especially among young people and children. Learning to ‘eat healthy food’ is an important ‘life skill’ for children to learn. Taking into account how ‘children’ learn best can be very helpful when dealing with such a sensitive and highly charged subject. Many children like to engage in activities that are ‘fun,’ ‘colorful’ and ‘creative.’ Creating ‘tasty’ and yet ‘healthy’ food can be challenging at times, but learning how to mix certain foods to create delicious and nutritious meals can be one of the most important lessons that one can learn. Food and ‘eating’ are subjects that ‘all’ people will face for the entirety of their lives. Although food is a basic physical need, food is also a highly social, relational and personal subject. One can create many different ‘tastes’ based on mixing certain foods and ingredients and what tastes ‘enjoyable’ to one person may ‘taste’ quite horrid to someone else.
There are ways to include essential nutrients into meals such as making things like smoothies, soups, and condiments with high nutritional value and taste. Vegetables that are not normally palatable to children (on their own) can be added to meals by adding other foods that have a more appealing taste and ‘cover’ the taste of those vegetables. Foods that are ‘fun’ to create will also be more appealing to children who learn from a more visual perspective. There are now many recipes available online that teach one to create some very ‘tasty’ and yet healthy alternatives to some of the less healthy options that many people enjoy so much. Children are more likely to respect and listen to the adults around them who pay attention to them, engage with them and ‘have fun’ with them too especially in ‘meal preparation.’ Creating healthy meals, treats and recipes with children in fun and creative ways will aid in creating positive and lifelong memories, skills and lessons that will benefit them for years and years to come.
The physical body digests food best in a relaxed and peaceful state and therefore making meal times a time for laughter and fun will aid greatly in the body’s ability to use nutrients and nourish the body.
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