Every parent should be concerned about what their kids are putting into their bodies and whether or not these youngsters are sticking to a healthy diet. A nutritious diet is essential to the growth and development of a young child. Starting good eating habits at a young age will provide positive benefits and instill a healthy routine that will continue for years to come. Kids are more likely to live healthy as they grow older if they start eating healthy when they are young.
Far too often, children are taught poor eating habits at a young age. It’s often easier for parents to just let their kids eat the junk that they love but provides no nutritional benefit. The result has been an increase in childhood obesity and countless health problems associated with a poor diet. Fortunately, there are several steps parents can take to make sure their kids learn to eat and love healthy foods.
Keep Plenty of Healthy Foods on Hand
The easiest way to get your children to eat healthy is to surround them with healthy foods. While you may be thinking about healthy meals to put on their plate at the dinner table, kids are often looking to grab snacks off the counter or from the cupboards. It’s a good idea to get rid of readily available junk food and replace it with healthy options. Say goodbye to chips and chocolate bars and replace them with fruits and low-fat yogurts.
You may not be able to completely convince your kids to turn to fruits and vegetables and away from packaged snacks and other goodies in the cupboard. Therefore, it’s a good idea to buy healthier options like whole-grain crackers, organic cheese sticks, and sugar-free peanut butter. You can also make sandwiches on whole-grain bread and serve them a bowl of healthy, whole-grain cereal. The important thing is to inundate your kids with the healthiest food options possible when they start to get hungry at home.
Work More Fruits and Vegetables into Meals
You can easily incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your kids’ daily diet by making fruit or vegetable side dishes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The idea is to get your kids used to eating fruits and vegetables with their meals. You could buy bananas, strawberries, or grapefruit to serve with breakfast or lunch. You can also make vegetables to be included on your child’s plate for lunch or dinner. Good choices include carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, and corn. Try different options with your children and see which ones they take a liking to. You never know, they might just have a thing for celery, broccoli, or cauliflower.
Serve Lean Meats for Dinner
Get your kids into the routine of eating healthier meals by sticking to a diet of lean meats. We know kids love to eat chicken fingers, cheeseburgers, and pizza, but these aren’t the best entrees for their health. In fact, we recommend avoiding fast food altogether. Too many kids have a diet with a heavy fat intake. Avoid fried foods and turn to those lean-meat options. Chicken, fish, and pork are good options to serve, especially if they are grilled, steamed, broiled, or roasted. Try to cut out the fried meats from your child’s diet.
Drink Healthy as Well
While you’re focused on healthy foods for your kids, don’t forget about what they’re drinking. Stop buying your kids sugary drinks like soda and fruit-flavored beverages. Instead, pour them a glass of water or low-fat milk.
At Anna’s Day Care, we always provide healthy food options for children in our care. You can put your faith in our day care center for the best possible childcare, including healthy meals and healthy snacks. Our day care provides the best environment and attention for children in San Jose, CA; Santa Clara, CA; or Sunnyvale, CA. We serve up to three meals and two snacks a day for every child. Contact us today for the very best child care.
