Tips for getting your children to eat healthy
Getting kids to eat healthily and properly isn’t easy and can be extra challenging if you’re on a tight budget. Here are a few simple healthy eating tips that anyone can follow.
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Cut back on sugar
Sugar is one of the main causes of obesity and also causes dental problems. Trouble is, kids love sugary snacks and drinks. But you can make a few swaps in snacks and drinks to reduce sugar intake, such as replacing sugary drinks with juice, using fresh or dried fruit instead of chocolate or biscuits for snacks, and opting for low-sugar tinned foods.
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Have regular meal times
Routine is important for kids and regular eating is important for healthy growth in young bodies. If your children get three regular meals a day, they will also be less likely to pester you for snacks in between. Especially important is breakfast, so make sure that your child starts the day with something, even if it’s just a glass of semi-skimmed milk and a piece of fruit.
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Sensible portion sizes
It’s important to remember that children are smaller than adults and don’t require the same amounts of food. Remember this when cooking a meal. If you are unable to cook and your child is having packaged or take-away food, go for the most healthy option and don’t serve up the whole amount if it is a meal designed for adults.
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Cook healthily
It’s good to cook for your children if you can. It’s the most effective way of controlling what they eat and it can also save money. Grilling or baking food (or even steaming or boiling it) is healthier than frying, and can reduce fat content by two-thirds. If you are cooking meat, cut the fat off before you cook and drain any fat once the meat is cooked.
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Exercise
A healthy diet should be accompanied with plenty of exercise. Ideally, kids should be getting at least 60 minutes of exercise a day. This doesn’t have to be sport. Walking or just running around playing counts as valuable exercise too.