It can be challenging to change a child’s bad eating habits, and some commonly promoted ideas may even be bad for your child’s health. For example, contrary to popular belief, studies show that banning certain foods or drinks actually has a detrimental effect on child psychology. Thankfully, however, there are some effective things that you can to do in order to promote healthier eating habits. Read on to discover the ten best ways to encourage your child to eat healthy food.
1) Use creativity to make vegetables an integral part of meals:
Make sure that every meal you prepare involves at least one particularly healthy component that your child likes to eat. If your child is a fussy eater who is not keen on vegetables, one trick that you can try is to allow the child to be involved in the food preparation process. If you allow your child to pick out some of the ingredients that are added to the meal, the child is more likely to eat what they have helped to create. Allowing your child to name the meal or side dish can also encourage them to enjoy what has been prepared.
2) Lead by example:
While teenagers might be keen to do the opposite of what you say (in all domains, not just at the dinner table), younger children often love to copy their parents. If you display healthy meal preferences and seem keen to try out a wide range of foods, they may emulate this behavior. In addition, some children might enjoy the shared excitement of trying foods together for the first time. You can also make this an educational experience by habitually offering healthy foods from a wide range of cultures, teaching your child about new countries as you experiment with new foods.
3) Allow your child to have treats in moderation:
Experts in child psychology caution that it can be extremely hard to discourage your child from eating sugary, salty or fatty foods once the child is used to having them as a regular part of their diet. However, outright banning foods only makes them more attractive. Your child may become obsessed with a banned food, and older children commonly seek out alternative ways to acquire the unhealthy foods they crave. A better strategy is to limit your child’s intake of junk food. Try developing a routine that involves a special treat on a particular day. That way, your child will focus on looking forward to ‘treat day’ instead of wondering when they might be able to sneakily acquire an unhealthy snack.
4) Do not buy unhealthy foods in bulk:
It is more difficult for your child to overindulge in unhealthy foods if there are not many unhealthy foods around the home in the first place. When you buy candy or chips as a treat, buy a small package instead of buying in bulk. If you do this, your child will not be able to creep into the kitchen to steal vast quantities of these foods, and the child will also be aware that there is a limited supply. This awareness will make them more likely to ration out the food instead of eating it all at once.
5) Make your child feel as though they have freedom of choice:
Children love to feel as though they are in charge of their own lives, and they can be made to feel as though they have more autonomy by being offered a choice between several healthy foods. For example, instead of asking whether they want a salad as a side dish, ask whether they want a salad or a mix of hot vegetables as a side dish.
6) Encourage healthy eating at school:
If your child’s school provides lunch options, explore all of these options with your child and try to explain why certain choices are healthier. Instead of simply saying that a food is ‘bad’, communicate the health benefits in simple terms. For example, you might explain that people who eat lots of fruits and vegetables are less likely to develop serious illnesses, and caution that children who consume too much sugar can end up being unhealthily overweight. In addition, when you give your child a snack to take to school, try offering packets of apples or carrots instead of candy. If your child asks for money to buy items from vending machines at school, you might explain that they can have the money but that they must save it up and spend it on a nonfood item of their choice instead (such as new music or a game).
7) Teach your child how to know when they are full:
Although you may be tempted to encourage your child to eat all the food on their plate, this teaches them that clearing their plate is more important than eating an appropriate portion size. You should explain to them that they should only eat as much as they feel hungry for at the time, and allow them to eat the leftovers later if they become hungry again. It is also helpful to promote awareness of the physical signs of hunger and fullness so that your child is able to identify when they have eaten too much or too little.
8. Make your child aware that drinks can be unhealthy too:
Parents commonly make the mistake of placing too much of an emphasis on unhealthy foods, leaving children with the mistaken impression that they should not worry about the contents of drinks. Explain to your child that a large milkshake can contain up to half of the calories they should consume in a day, and discuss the ‘empty’ calories that can be found in sugary sodas. If your child is young, you can discourage future unhealthy habits by only giving the child water, watered-down fruit juice or low-fat milk. Studies show that toddlers who drink these types of drinks are less likely to grow up to overindulge in sugary sodas and full-fat milk drinks.
9) Try offering foods multiple times:
If your child does not seem to like some healthy food that you offer, do not give up after just one attempt. Younger children often need to try a food several times before becoming used to its texture and taste.
10) Do not make multiple dinners:
Finally, it is important to know that if your child turns down the dinner you have made, making another dinner sets an unhealthy precedent. It prevents your child from learning that they have to eat at specific meal times, and it also discourages them from eating healthy food (as they learn that they can simply keep refusing healthy food until you finally present a less healthy option).
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