Healthy living for children

Health is not for adults only but also for our children, our youngsters. As adults we ought to monitor what our children eat so as to avoid diseases like malnutrition or kwashiorkor. 

  
When monitoring the food our children eats we should make sure they eat a balanced diet and they don’t take too much junk and sweet food. Healthy eating can stabilize children’s energy, sharpen their minds, and even out their moods. There are steps parents can take to instil healthy eating habits without turning mealtimes into a battle zone. By encouraging healthy eating habits now, you can make a huge impact on your children’s lifelong relationship with food and give them the best opportunity to grow into healthy, confident adults said Laurretta Moyo a nurse at UBH.

She went on to say that children develop a natural preference for the foods they enjoy the most, so the challenge is to make healthy choices appealing. You can ensure that your children’s diet is as nutritious and wholesome as possible, even while allowing  some of their favorite treats.

Tips of healthy eating

 

Have regular family meals. Knowing dinner is served at approximately the same time every night and that the entire family will be sitting down together is comforting and enhances appetite. Breakfast is another great time for a family meal.

Cook more meals at home. Eating home cooked meals is healthier for the whole family and sets a great example for kids about the importance of food. Restaurant meals tend to have more fat, sugar, and salt. Save dining out for special occasions. 

Get kids involved. Children enjoy helping adults to shop for groceries, selecting what goes in their lunch box, and preparing dinner. It's also a chance for you to teach them about the nutritional values of different foods, and for older children how to read food labels.

Make a variety of healthy snacks available instead of empty calorie snacks. Keep plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grain snacks, and healthy beverages (water, milk, pure fruit juice) around and easily accessible so kids become used to reaching for healthy snacks instead of chip or cookies.

healthy snacks for children

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