Almost every parent faces the problem of making their toddler eat healthy food. But it is essential to provide full nutrition to the children as it facilitates growth.
It may become tiring for you, but you need to find ways to inculcate healthy food habits in your child.
According to research, a balanced and nutritious diet is vital for every individual, but children need a little more than what adults require.
So they should be motivated and encouraged to have a healthy diet and stay away from junk food to have a healthier future.
Importance of Nutrition in Food Diet
Growth, health and nutrition have a strong relation undoubtedly. Out of all three, nutrition plays the most critical role and has the most significant impact on a child’s development.
Eating healthy has numerous benefits. Eating healthy includes consuming different varieties of nutritious and whole foods.
Foods containing excess fats and sugars should be avoided and seldom consumed. Nutrients like vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals should be consumed properly.
To inculcate healthy eating habits, parents should guide and encourage their children to move towards that direction.
Children are generally fussy towards healthy food, and that should not discourage parents from giving up on them and let them eat as per their choice.
Healthy eating should not be enforced on children as it can lead to a negative association with food. Instead, it should be encouraged in a way where they enjoy and relish their every meal.
Food should be loved and not compromised. Here are a few tips for parents to follow to make eating fun for their children:
1. Healthier Substitutes
Not only the little ones but grown-ups who are miles away from fitness, tag healthy as boring. Fortunately, that is not the case.
Healthy food can be turned into a fun affair with a few right decisions. The main idea is to convert healthy food into the same favourite foods that children relish.
This can be done by having healthier substitutes and putting in the same flavours and aroma to make it more tempting. For example, if your child likes pizza, you can create one for them at home but with healthier ingredients.
You can ditch all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour, and the rest of the ingredients can be same. You can think more about veggies and some homemade sauce to go with it.
Another option can be of the potato fries. Instead of deep-frying them, you can use an air fryer to make it a healthier snack for your children.
2. Make greens tempting
Children need minerals, iron, calcium, manganese and other nutrients for balanced growth. Greens are the best source for all these essential nutrients.
Forcing your child to eat green leafy vegetables can get you resistance since these green leafy vegetables contribute immensely to the holistic development of children.
Instead of giving them raw, you can cook them the way they love. Greens can be turned into sandwiches, wraps, salads etc. and then presented to them in a tempting manner to which a child cannot say no.
3. The special mealtime
Your time with your kids should be exclusively for them. Do not get your office stress at your home.
Keep away the outside world negativity as much as possible and spread positive vibes when around kids. You should try to fix meal times for your children as it majorly contributes to healthy eating.
If the meal routine is fixed, it will make them avoid focusing on junk. If you want your children to enjoy their food, indulge in pleasant conversations and fun talks.
This will make them look forward to their mealtime. If you scold your child or argue with them, this may discourage them from eating their food when you are around.
4. Your child’s involvement
The best way to make them like their food is to involve them. Whenever you go for your grocery shopping, take your children along.
Involve them and ask for their preferences while buying groceries, fruits and vegetables. Do this activity as often as possible.
This activity, most importantly, will help them understand about different foods available and will also create interest in other food items.
This will also help you build a strong relationship with your kids.
5. Fruits
Fruits make a significant part of the nutritional chart. Fruits are the best source of fibre, vitamins and minerals that one can get.
These nutrients have many health benefits for our body and growth. Also, they aid in proper digestion. Hence, make fruits an essential part of the mealtime.
Tip: Discourage your children from eating while watching any screen, be it TV or mobile. While watching the screen, lack of attention on food may lead to overeating.
Quick healthy habits to encourage in your child:
- Drink lots of water.
- Eat slowly
- Avoid consuming sweetened and aerated drinks.
- Consuming more veggies.
- Get proper sleep
It is essential to give a proper healthy diet to our children irrespective of our financial conditions and environment.
Many parents, due to their financial crisis, are unable to take care of their child’s nutrition. In that case, you can always think of borrowing loans to cater to your financial crisis so that the nutritional needs are not hampered and are well taken care of.
There are many banks and direct lenders in the UK, who provide same day loans on benefits of interest rate and repayment terms.
Children around the world are the same and so are the nutritional values required by them be it in the UK, India, Australia or France.
We, as parents, have the responsibility to fulfil all the nutritional requirements of our children to gift them a healthy future.