Trying to encourage children to eat a healthy diet can be difficult at times. They have a habit of disliking the foods that are best for them and loving the fatty, sugary things. However, if oy are creative and inventive, you can coax them into making better food choices. Although it may seem like an uphill battle, good food is essential to their health and well-being. It can protect them from illness, improve their eye health, and stop them from suffering premature dental decay, among other things. So it is important you find new and inventive ways to promote healthy eating:
Start at the Supermarket
If you are brave, you could start to encourage healthy eating by taking the children to the supermarket. When you are in the fruit and vegetable aisle, ask the children to choose some exotic-looking vegetables they would like to try. This will force them to look at all the shapes, sizes, colors, and varieties. Perhaps choose a supermarket that you know has as wide a variety of fruit and vegetables on offer. Bright colors can be attractive to children, and from the choices they make, you will need to be rather inventive in the kitchen.
Educate your Children
You could go the scare tactic route and explain to your children all the problems that happen when they eat an unhealthy diet. Showing them the dangers of eating unhealthily can have a lasting effect if done correctly. But be cautious. You don’t want to make them scared to go near a cake or chocolate bar. You also need to teach them about balance and the food types that go into each area, such as carbohydrates, protein, etc.
Be a Role Model
If you want your children to eat well, then you have to lead by example. Healthy breakfasts and a lot of fruit in the house is a great way to start. Avoid buying fast food, unless it is for a specific treat. Drink a lot of water too, and don’t have sweet things in the house. It may be an idea to prepare evening meals in advance, and cook real food as often as you can. The more genuine you are in this regard, the better it will be. If they catch you snacking on a chocolate bar, this may have very negative consequences. So, take stock of yourself and ensure that you are the best role model you can be.
Kitchen Time
You can include your children in the food preparation. This may be especially advantageous if they have chosen a specific vegetable they want to try. Seeing how vegetables get turned into food, can be quite a good experience. They will learn about flavors, species, vegetables, and you can instill good cooking methods into them too. You have such as wide range of choices when it comes to cooking. Something like baked beef and vegetable rissoles may be great fun for them to make and tastes great too. Remember, the more fun you can make it, the better the effect will be.