Eat healthily. This could be the best advice for children to learn to eat healthy. If adequate food is followed at home, we will hardly offer our children other types of food.
Both when the complementary feeding begins and when they grow up and already eat the same as the whole family, you have to be parents aware of the importance of what children eat and drink every day. TV ads or the environment will have a limited influence on this aspect, if we start from a good base.
Because even if the children ask us for the junk food they see in the advertisements, or they want to suck at all times like a friend, there we will be to know that it does not suit them, and let them understand. Which does not mean that we make concessions again.
We don't talk about tips for children to choose healthy meals. When they grow up, perhaps they would be able to cram themselves with candy for a couple of days, and I imagine that few parents are willing to do so, even when on the third day the children have learned for themselves that they have not done well.
Parents are responsible for what is bought in the supermarket and what is put on the table to eat. And with established habits, which are not arbitrary but have a foundation based on family health, we will ensure that, when they grow up, they understand how to eat healthy and continue with these nutritional habits.
Tips for children to learn to eat healthy
But since we cannot "convince children" with encyclopedias or nutritional pyramids, we are going to list a series of tips for children to learn to eat healthy.
- If you eat well, they eat well. The example, as we have said, is the best advice. We teach them without realizing it, and over time that "teaching" remains.
- Involve your children in family feeding. When making the shopping list, picking up products in the supermarket, choosing fruits and vegetables, some ingredients for the dish of the day, helping to prepare salads ... There are many delicious and healthy recipes for children that not only We can taste together but also collaborate in its preparation. The more they have fun and get involved, the more they will learn from these experiences and want to repeat them.
- Talk to them, teach them why it is necessary that they eat fruits and vegetables, why many sweets can harm them, why you have to put little salt in the meals ... As they develop the language they will ask us about food, or product labels, the prices, where they come from ...
- Prepare healthy snacks and snacks, since these snacks are good for children at some time during the day. Snacks, fruits and vegetables, raw nuts, yogurt, baked cereal bars ...
- A fun kitchen, funny dishes and tables, eating is fun. The presentation of the dishes is key for children to accept and enjoy food.
- Without fear of the new, without fear of what we don't like. We do not transmit our tastes to our children, we try to try everything, that there is a varied and non-repetitive offer of food and dishes.
- We favor a healthy environment, involving ourselves in the school menu, making our observations or requests to school officials, politicians, the media, companies ... The change begins with small gestures that, added, will bear fruit and result in a Better food not only for our children but for all children.
All these tips will establish a solid foundation for children to enjoy eating healthy. They will probably not be exempt from falling into "temptations" in the future (as almost everyone falls on occasion), but as long as there are no excesses (and this is also an important point to teach them) there will be no health risks.
Definitely, we can do a lot so that our children learn to eat healthy, grow strong and acquire habits that help you stay healthy throughout your life, as well as transmit those same habits to future generations.
Photos | Oakley Originals and Josephers on Flickr-CC On Babies and more | Practical advice for children to eat more vegetables, Five easy ideas for cooking with children, Decalogue of the Mediterranean diet for children
