17 Aug How to get kids to eat healthy foods

It certainly isn’t the easiest of tasks when bringing up children and teens.

So how do you get kids to eat healthily?

At Veteran Mentors, our team is extremely passionate about health and nutrition and are eager to share our knowledge to help kids reach their full potential.

Check out our fun ways to encourage kids to eat healthily (and enjoy it!).

How to encourage kids to eat healthily

If you need help encouraging your kids to eat healthily, try these five simple steps.

1. Set a good example

The example you set yourself is critical when encouraging your kids to eat healthily.

Instinctively, kids follow the example set by adults. 

If you’re a regular snacker or love indulging in fast food, you can be sure your children will adopt the same eating habits. 

Instead, try to follow a healthy meal plan, with three meals a day, plenty of fruit, vegetables and treats in moderation.

When eating a healthy meal, reinforce how tasty the sweet potato is and how fresh and sweet the grapes are.

Instinctively following your example, your kids will begin to think better of the vegetables they are eating and start adopting a healthier lifestyle (with fewer disputes).

2. Always ensure easy access to healthy snacks

We all know that kids suffer dramatically from three-thirty-itis. 

And when they get home they are straight in the pantry looking for the milo tin and those chocolate chip cookies. 

Instead of reprimanding them for wanting to snack, have the pantry and fridge full of healthy snacks.

Ensure easy access with fresh fruit on the kitchen counter or healthy snacks at eye view in the fridge.

Pick up some fresh fruit, sesame crackers or air-popped popcorn or if you do have the time, get creative and bake some healthy after school treats.

3. Give them a choice

If you’re a parent, you’ll know how difficult it can be to make your kids eat something they don’t want to.

Kids love having the freedom to make their own decisions, especially when it comes to their meals.

Providing your children with a choice when preparing their meal provides them with the responsibility that will ultimately lead to intuitive maturity and help them to form their decision-making skills.

4. Always be persistent

Kids can be stubborn, especially when it comes to vegetables.

As hard as it can be, make sure to be persistent.

Prepare the vegetables you know they like but always try to introduce new vegetables to broaden their range.

You can also be sneaky in the way you introduce vegetables. 

(Stir-frys and bolognese are great ways to disguise vegetables they don’t like to eat.)

Once they’ve eaten those vegetables, invite them to continue eating these vegetables and trying new things.

In the long run, you’ll thank yourself, and they’ll thank you too.

5. Ensure a good balance

Now, everyone knows sticking to a strict diet 100% of the time is unrealistic. 

You need a balance. And so do your kids.

Treats in moderation is a great way to reward healthy eating plus it breaks up all of that health food.

This could be a small bowl of ice cream with fruit in the evening or sweets after a soccer game.

Once your children understand the routine at home and how to balance healthy food and occasional treats, you will soon find there will be far fewer disputes when it comes to mealtime.

Why is it important for kids to eat healthy food?

Introducing a healthy lifestyle is critical, particularly while your children are still mentally and physically developing.

It is important for kids to eat healthy foods in order to form strong bones, muscles and optimal body functions. 

Healthy food is also the key to maintaining sharp brain functions and establishing strong learning abilities.

Introduce a healthy lifestyle into your home

We hope that now you have the secret recipe to success, you will know how to get your kids to eat healthily.

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