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What You Can Do to Teach Your Kids to Eat Healthy
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How your kids eat is a reflection on how you eat. After all, kids do not do as we “say”, they do as we “do”. So, let's “do” the best thing! No one says it is an easy task, especially with the influence of TV and friends; although, teenagers may eat junk when they are out with their friends, studies show that they will be much more likely as adults to eat healthy if you practiced healthy habits at home.
We are all born with the a preference for sweets, however, repetitive exposure to foods rejected at first can help to increase the likelihood of later accepting those same foods. So don't stop offering different foods to your kids just because they don't like them! Just try to be wise about when and how you do so. I try to serve a new food, or rejected food, along with their favorite foods, but not when my child is cranky or tired.
Convenience is also something that we all look for, even young kids who are trying to be more independent. So, if you have healthy options readily available to your children, they are more likely to choose them. Cut up veggies and fruits in zip lock bags with healthy, low fat dips within their reach will make great snacks...and having this ready to take and eat is something that is helpful to you too!
Foods we usually refer to as “junk” are exactly the types of food that should not be in the house on a weekly basis. I mean, we are all human, so save those foods for special occasions and go “out” for them...don't bring them home. Make choosing healthy snacks easier for your kids and for yourself. That said, beware of becoming the “food police” causing your children to rebel. As we teach our kids about making healthier choices, it's important to remember that having an occasional indulgence is not only “okay” but healthy because it teaches them how to balance a healthy diet.
Renee, LD/N, NSCA-CPT, ACSM
“If you had one car to get around in your lifetime, how would you treat it?”
Labels: kids
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