What is one of the most annoying things for a parent to deal with? Having kids that refuse to eat healthy food. How can this problem be solved? There are some important ingredients to getting your kids to eat healthier. This article discusses some of them.
Know Your Healthy Meal Substitutes
There is an abundance of healthy meal substitutes. All it takes is a little work to find them. For lactose intolerant people, a good choice is rice, soy, oat, or almond milk. A lot of stores these days are selling one of these options. To replace hamburger, try texturized vegetable protein. Lentils work great as a taco filler or general red meat substitute. When it comes to vegetables, go exotic. Let your kids pick out something strange from the produce section. There are all sorts of uncommon veggies available. Think of yellow squash, swiss chard, chinese cabbage, leeks, garlic, and other great salad toppers.
Talk About the Benefits
The benefits of eating healthy are obvious. Stronger muscles, better vision, less fat, and a longer lifespan are all a part of the picture. Share with your kids what happens when they replace empty calories with real nutrients. They will learn from your instruction that it pays to be wise what you put on your plate. Tell them what vitamins they are getting by eating a particular food. Use tools like WebMD to discover what you should be eating to get proper nutrition.
Have Clean Water
Make sure that your water system is pumping clean water for your family. A home water filtration system is a good choice, particularly if you live in an area where groundwater tends to be contaminated with bad chemicals. The municipal water may not be good enough. Think about getting a good clean water source pumping into your home.
Do Not Feed Kids Junk Food
Although it might seem obvious, somehow it is not. It is so easy to splurge when shopping for unhealthy chips, cola, or root beer. Do not be led astray by fancy advertising. Eating bad food does not bring your family together. It rots your teeth. It lowers your lifespan. It even can affect your children’s propensity to be hyperactive. The American Public Health Association published an article in 2011 describing a study in Norway about the adverse effects of sugar consumption among adolescents. The authors concluded that mental health can be hurt by sugar consumption.
Model Good Eating Behavior
As a parent, you are looked up to by your children. They will tend to do what you do. If you are spending your time guzzling soda and eating chips, your children will be likely to copy you. This will lead to a heritage of obesity and mental problems in your family. Do not let that happen to you. Model good eating behavior. Have carrots for snacks instead of chips. Go for unsweetened fruit juices instead of soda. Eat lots of variety and color. Make the produce section of the store the primary destination. Your kids will thank you in your old age for your dedication to being a model of healthy eating habits.
Know Your Healthy Sweets
There are lots of foods that taste good and are also healthy. A short list includes oranges, apples, strawberries, bananas, mangos, papayas, and pears. Look up online recipes like banana ice cream. It tastes great, and it is great for you. Make these fruits into desserts and breakfast items. As your children get used to eating sweets that have nutrition, they will not desire candy and cake so strongly.
Monitor Your Children’s Eating Out Habits
What do your kids eat when you are not watching over them? The food at parties, cafeterias, and campouts should all be considered for supervision. If you have concerns about what they are eating, talk with the people serving the food. See if they are willing to offer something more healthy. If not, pack lunches for your kids.
Hopefully, all of these things are tricks that you are willing to use to help your kids eat healthier. Remember that a pure water source is important as well. It keeps disease and harmful chemicals from entering your children’s bodies. Keep them healthy always while letting them live their lives to the fullest.