How to Help your Child Gain Healthy Eating Habits

While physical activity is an important part of life for a healthy weight and a healthy mind, having a balanced diet also increases your energy and makes you feel better. When you eat different vegetables, fruits, and whole grains each day, and limit sugary and high fat foods, you have more energy and can do things without feeling so tired. When you feel good, you want to move.

It is the same for your children, but children do not think about how many servings of vegetables they have in a day. All they want to eat is what tastes good, which is why they need your help.

If you are worried about your child being overweight or not getting enough physical activity, you may ask "How can I help?"

Here are some tips to helping your child gain healthy eating habits and feel better about it too. If they have a healthy diet, they will be able to do better in school and have more energy to play.

Bring lunch to school
If children eat school lunches, they sometimes pick the unhealthy option and skip the fruits. Try to plan ahead and have them help you make a sandwich and pick out healthy snacks. Some ideas: carrots or celery with peanut butter, cut up fruit for easy eating, yogurt, small amount of cheese, whole grain crackers or tortilla chips.

Don't force your child to eat
During dinner, use smaller plates. If your child is full before they finish, let them stop. Making them eat all of their food will teach them to eat more even when they are full. Children will eat when they are hungry.

Drink more water
Make sure your child is drinking plenty of water. Children usually do not drink until they are really thirsty. Water is always the best thing to drink. Limit juices and soda. Try low fat milk instead.

Make grocery shopping fun
Grocery shopping can be good physical activity, but can also be a great area for kids to learn about how to pick healthy foods. Let your child help as much as they can. Theymay look for coupons or pick out fruit for their dessert in their lunch. Have them help make a list ahead of time so they will not ask for many sweet foods.

Be a good role model
Children want to do what their parents do. If you try new fruits, vegetables, and grains, and drink low fat milk instead of juice or soda, your children may try them too. Also, playing outside with your children and taking family walks will show them how being physically active can be fun!

Starting healthy habits when your children are younger will help them grow into healthy adults!