These Nutrition Tips Will Help Your Kids to Develop a Healthy Relationship with Food
It’s really important for your child (or grandchild) to get proper nutrition. Children grow so rapidly, and it’s a time when a lot of changes take place. Good food makes sure that they have the correct fuel to support that growth.
Kids need proper nourishment not just for their physical growth, but also to meet their mental and emotional needs too.
These top 3 smart nutrition tips for children will help to ensure that your child has the best chance at a healthy and happy childhood.
In addition, good food habits learnt during childhood often result in a fit and healthy adult with a sensible relationship with food.
Smart Nutrition Tips #1 – Practice What You Preach
This is a great tip that’s more for you than your child.
You know your child or grandchild needs good nutrition – but do you eat healthily yourself?
To get your child eating more fruits, vegetables and whole foods, and fewer processed food items, as well as drinking lots of water, you need to do the same. After all, you can’t expect your kids to enjoy a healthy diet if you don’t!
Children look up to their parents, and by eating well, you impact your own health in a positive way while helping your child enjoy the benefits of good nutrition.
Smart Nutrition Tips #2 – Don’t Forget the Fat!
Everyone seems to be obsessed with weight these days (which is possibly a good thing), but don’t forget that your child needs lots of “good fats” to function properly.
Avoid trans fats and saturated fats (pastries, doughnuts, fries, processed foods and pizzas). Instead, focus on getting healthy amounts of extra virgin olive oil, cold-water fish such as mackerel and salmon, and nuts and seeds into your child’s diet.
Avoid buying “low fat” or “fat free” products as these are processed (to remove the fat) and other (often artificial) additives blended in.
Healthy fats are good for your kid in moderation (and you!).
Smart Nutrition Tips #3 – Feed Your Kids Sweets… Honestly!
I know, I know. I’ve just said to avoid giving your kids processed foods, pizzas and pastries (except as a very occasional treat).
And now I’m recommending that you give your kids sweets – why?
It’s simple. Nutritionists, doctors and other health professionals know how important it is for you to allow your child small amounts of sweets and sweet desserts on a regular basis.
It reinforces the idea that sweets should not make up a significant part of your child’s diet.
Something else you can do is to feed their “sweet tooth” with healthy food, such as sliced fresh fruit (e.g. strawberries, peaches) with yoghurt.
As he or she grows older, your child will develop a smart and healthy relationship with sweet foods and treats. This may not happen if you totally deny access to what children naturally enjoy.
Summary
Your children or grandchildren need good nutrition to help them to develop properly. You can make sure they enjoy a healthy diet if you yourself also eat healthily – you are their role model! Avoid unhealthy processed foods, but make sure you don’t omit healthy fats such as those contained in cold-water fish, nuts and seeds. Don’t deprive them of sweet things – they need sweets and candies occasionally in order to develop a healthy relationship with food. You can also do this in a healthy way by offering treats such as sliced sweet fruits with yoghurt.
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How do you manage to give your kids proper nutrition? Got some more tips? Please share them in the comments below.
Warm regards,
P.S. Don’t forget to download your FREE juicing and smoothies recipe book here!
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