Healthy Eating For Children

Getting children to eat can be a battle all on its own. Then add eating healthy and most parents throw their hands up in the air declaring it to be next to impossible.

This mini e-book is designed with those parents in mind. Here you will learn tips for helping your children to eat and to eat healthy. It is not as impossible as you might think. The best way to develop healthy eating habits is to start when they are toddlers. The common sense rule of: start as you mean to go on. However, for those of us who realize too late the impact of junk food and unhealthy eating has had on our children, read on.

Two requirements For Healthy Eating

The number one requirement for your children to eat healthy is to ensure that there are healthy foods in the house. That means fridge, freezer and cupboards are stocked with healthy food choices. I won't go so far as to say remove all of the junk food, but then again if you really want your children eating healthy removing the junk food means removing the option of eating unhealthy at least at home!

The second requirement for your children to eat healthy is for you to set the example. Our children today no longer tolerate the rule of do as I say, not as I do. That style of parenting went out a long time ago. If you continue to try this style of parenting don't be surprised when your children follow your example.

7 Tips For Healthy Eating

Tip #1

Involve your children in meal planning. This works especially well for picky eaters. Giving your children choice often eliminates mealtime struggles. This does not mean that your children determine what the household will eat for every meal. Rather it means that they are a contributing member of the family and that their opinions are important. This sends a very strong message to children. I highly recommend that your child be allowed to choose one dinner per week for the family.

Tip#2

Involve your children in meal preparation. Children are much more likely to eat something that they have prepared. Being involved in meal preparation can be as simple as gathering items needed from the fridge and cupboards. They can measure ingredients, peel vegetables, grate cheese, pour sauces or preheat the oven.

Tip #3

Use child friendly recipes. Child friendly recipes usually have no more than three to five steps and involve common foods found in most households. There are many websites that dedicate a recipe section to child friendly recipes. Simply do a web search on child or kid friendly healthy recipes and your choices are endless. Chatelaine's website you can actually search for healthy kid friendly recipes by entering the information into their drop box.

Tip #4

On your dinning room or kitchen table keep a basket with ready to eat fruit. Oranges, Banana's and washed apples. You would be surprised how often foods even healthy ones are eaten when you walk past them and don't have to go looking.

Tip #5

In your fridge keep a ready to eat (washed and cut up) try of: baby carrots, celery sticks and cauliflower and broccoli florets with dip. Keep your dip healthy by making your own. Better yet let your children make the dip. All you need to purchase is a container of lite sour cream and add one pouch of onion soup mix, stir together and place in the fridge covered with your veggies. For a quick dip try using your favourite salad dressings ranch or cucumber salad dressing are my families favourite for dipping veggies. You can always put this on the table with dinner. Many children who do not like cooked veggies love them raw!

Tip #6

In your fridge keep a ready to eat fruit tray. Peal a couple of oranges and break into slices, grapes red and green, pineapple wedges and kiwi. Make the tray up with fruits that will be eaten and will not turn brown once cut up. They key for many kids is adding a fruit dip which is very easy to make. Purchase a container of cool whip lite and let it defrost. Add a package of your favourite crystal lite (single serving). My children love their dip made with the strawberry, orange banana crystal lite. Mix and serve. You will watch the fruit disappear!

Tip #7

Mix in veggies where they can't see them. When my children were younger and the thought of veggies was enough for a temper tantrum at dinner, I learned to be creative. Whenever I made pasta for dinner or used a pasta sauce for topping veal, chicken etc. I added veggies. In my blender I pureed, green pepper, red pepper, onion, mushroom, garlic and anything else I happened to have on hand and added it to a can of pasta sauce. They declared it the best pasta sauce ever!

If you are worried that your children are not getting enough vitamins and minerals naturally through their diet make sure to consult your family doctor. They may recommend taking a multi-vitamin supplement. You can also use vitamin supplements called greens in your cooking, follow directions and add to your cooking. Always consult a doctor before having your children take a multi-vitamin or cooking with vitamin and mineral supplements. This is not meant to be medical advice.

As a Child & Youth Worker having worked with young children, children, teens and adults along with their families to assist them in reaching their full potential. I have worked in children's mental health, with dual diagnosed individuals, children and teens in conflict with the law and many families wishing to imporve their relationships. When left my position as a Program Director in Children's Services, my husband and I opened Brighter Futures. We consult to Children's Aid Societies, Families and work with children who struggle with behavioural issues. We are currently focusing on Parental Education which we believe to be the right of every child. We offer parenting courses, parental coaching and much, much more!

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