Healthy Eating at Home
In a world where over a third of U.S. adults are considered obese, it is critical that families implement the building blocks of health for children to mature into healthy and active adults. Maintaining a healthy family begins with the foundation: parents.
Parents play an important role in a family’s health because they serve the models for the kids to follow. As children follow their parents’ lead, they will slowly develop healthy eating habits. Helpful strategies to follow to create healthy eating habits include:
-
Regular family meals
-
Having a variety of healthy foods and snacks
-
Be a healthy role model
-
Avoid battles over food
-
Involve kids
Research has shown that making dinner a family affair leads to an encouraging environment for healthy eating. Families who share at least three meals a week have children who are 24 percent more likely to eat healthier foods than those in families who ate few or no meals together. This also coincides with a less likely chance of becoming overweight or practicing dangerous weight-loss efforts like purging, taking laxatives or diet pills.
Homemade meals are typically lower calorie their restaurant counterparts and also let children in on the meal-making. This allows for more family time and a deeper understanding of what goes into each meal. A stocked kitchen of healthy foods is important because kids will eat what is available. The goal is to have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, so encourage healthy snacking. The pantry should have whole wheat bread and cereals and limit low-nutrient snacks for a “once in a while” food. In addition, serve water or milk and reduce sugar intake by eliminating soda and fruit-flavored drinks.
Do as I say, not as I do is not an efficient tactic for encouraging healthy eating as a family. It is important for parents to eat healthy to send the right message. Acting as a good role model also includes explaining feelings of fullness and to discourage overeating. Serving appropriate portion sizes can easily maintain this, too.
Battles over food can turn to hostility towards healthy eating. Do not use food for bribery or rewards and don’t force children to finish their plates.
Finally, get kids involved in the meal process—take them to grocery shopping, let them decide a healthy dinner, and teach your kids to read food labels. Smart decision making early on will lead to a healthy lifestyle for years to come.
| Posted On : 3/6/2014 11:20:57 AM
Filed under: