Eating Healthy
Eating unhealthy foods is a bad habit for everyone, especially children. In the early stages of life, good nutrition is extremely important. If your child is having a hard time liking healthy foods, here are some tips and tricks to get them on the right path.
Eating Veggies
Some children naturally dislike the taste of vegetables. Over time their taste-buds will mature, but developing a healthy veggie-eating habit can start right away with a few recipe changes.
Try adding an easy topping like cheese. One serving of warm, gooey, delicious cheese drizzled on top of veggies can make a delicious and healthy meal. Some examples you can try are broccoli with cheddar cheese, cauliflower au gratin, or baked asparagus with parmesan!
Stop the Snacking
When your child is nibbling nonstop on unhealthy snacks throughout the day, it means they won’t want to eat their healthy meals. To get them to break this unhealthy eating habit, there are a few things you can try.
It’s recommended to serve your child two to three snacks daily, and around the same time each day. Eating a limited amount of small snacks throughout the day can keep your child’s mental energy at its best and even increase their metabolism.
Snacking too much can be very easy for children when they can easily find junk food in the house. Stop buying the bad stuff! Baby carrots, veggie straws and low-calorie popcorn are all great substitutes for junk food.
Limit the Sweets
It seems like nowadays everything has sugar, and a lot of it. Sugar turns straight into fat, can cause cavities and affects the body’s daily internal rhythm. It’s not practical to make a child outright quit the sweets, but try to limit how much they have.
Full sugar juices, soda pop, and candies are all major sources of sugar. The daily recommended amount of sugar is 38 grams. Some drinks have more than that in a single serving! Instead, find other sweet alternatives like dried fruits or fig bars. Maybe, every once in a while, you might want to give them a fun dessert to satisfy their sweet tooth.
Model Healthy Eating
It’s a lot easier to stay healthy when you cook food at home. Instead of getting fast food or going out to restaurants frequently, try buying ingredients to prepare fresh, healthy, delicious meals. It’s easier on the waist, and the wallet.
Find new and interesting recipes to expand your pallet. If you are willing to try new foods, it can make your child more likely to try them as well.
How Prep Approaches Healthy Eating
At Prep Academy Schools, we believe each student has unlimited potential that can be fostered through caring for the whole child-academically, emotionally and physically. Maintaining a healthy diet is key to ensuring that each child performs to the best of their ability every day!