As a parent, you may already be well aware children are infamous for being picky eaters. Your own children may love to snack and enjoy treats, but hate most foods you put before them at mealtimes. Because you cannot simply let your children snack on unhealthy foods all day, you must find a way to improve your children’s diets and promote healthy eating in your household.
Healthy Eating Habit #1 – Set Meal Schedules
Children who are not introduced to established mealtimes often learn it is acceptable to eat anytime of the day when they are hungry. As a result, children gain weight because they may be eating more. In particular, eating foods that are not necessarily the healthiest for them.
Rather than let your children snack at odd hours, you can reinforce healthy eating habits by establishing times for meals in your house. Consistently serving meals at these established times will help your kids learn to avoid snacking or eating only when they are hungry.
Healthy Eating Habit #2 – Control Portion Sizes
When you take away your kids’ snacking times, you may feel compelled to overcompensate by serving them large portions at meals. However, children do not need adult size portions. Giving them appropriate servings and helping them learn to avoid eating until they are stuffed can reinforce the healthy eating habits your family may need.
Healthy Eating Habit #3 – Offer Meal Shakes
Healthy Eating Habit #4 – Eliminate Junk Foods
It can be difficult to reinforce healthy eating when you constantly have junk foods available. Getting rid of the pop, cookies, chips, and other junk food items can teach your kids to desire the healthy foods in your house.
If they know treats are in the house, they will want those instead of healthier options.
Healthy Eating Habit #5 – Plan a Week Ahead
You may not realize it, but planning ahead can reduce the amount of unhealthy meals you serve to your family. If you take the time to plan out a menu in advance, you can make sure you incorporate all of the dietary components your children need. If you wait until the last minute to serve meals, you may rely on fatty foods in your haste to serve your family their meal.
These tips can help you teach your children healthy eating habits. Using meal replacement shakes, as well as planning ahead and utilizing other strategies can instruct your children in how to be healthy eaters throughout their lives.
