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Promoting Healthy Nutrition Among Children
September 20, 2019
It’s so easy for kids to develop bad eating habits, especially when they are exposed to junk food early in life. Once children become accustomed to highly flavored fast food, sodas, and ice cream, feeding them naturally, home-cooked food, which is generally more bland tasting, may become a challenge. However, it is never too late to change your child's attitude towards healthy eating. Here are tips to help you promote healthy eating habits in and outside the home.
It’s so easy for kids to develop bad eating habits, especially when they are exposed to junk food early in life. Once children become accustomed to highly flavored fast food, sodas, and ice cream, feeding them naturally, home-cooked food, which is generally more bland tasting, may become a challenge.
However, it is never too late to change your child's attitude towards healthy eating. Here are tips to help you promote healthy eating habits in and outside the home.
Offer healthy food during snack time
We don’t want children to be grazing in between meals. Snacks should be dictated by parents so that they eat during mealtimes.
Limit junk food
Alter your grocery list so that junk food is not available at home. Children will naturally follow what they see their significant adults do. Healthy eating should be a family journey and should be undertaken by the whole household.
Always offer healthy alternatives to their favorites
Instead of store-bought chips, learn to make your own. Kangkong chips, anyone?
Want an alternative to candy? Try sweet, in-season fruits. These may be pureed and placed in ice trays for a cool ice pop treat. You may even skewer pieces of fruits on barbecue sticks.
Food must never be used as a reward
Giving your child their favorite snacks whenever they do good at home or in school can turn in to a habit which will only make them crave the snack
Instead, choose rewards outside of food. They could be as grand as a weekend beach getaway or as simple as extra playtime with mom or dad.
Kids follow what their parents do. So, eating healthy eating should start with you. If they see how much you enjoy eating fruits and vegetables, then it is likely that they will have, at the very least, an appreciation for healthy food.<!-- [if !supportAnnotations]-->
Allow your child to choose what food to eat for your next meal
The next time you’re thinking about what the family will eat come mealtime, ask your child to participate in meal planning. The idea is to make them understand the concept of a healthy balanced meal, flavors and textures can be incorporated in whole food cooked at home.
Consult your pediatrician.
Perhaps the most important part of improving a child’s everyday diet is consulting with your pediatrician. While there are many online resources on child-rearing and care, they should never replace a trusted professional’s guidance and advice.
How can The Medical City help you?
The Medical City's Center for Developmental Pediatrics (CDP) is the first in the Philippines to offer routine developmental screening and monitoring of children from zero to eight years old. The Center ensures that children can get all the help and guidance they need while growing up.
For more information, you may contact:
Center for Developmental Pediatrics (CDP)
(02) 988-1000/988-7000 ext. 6630
References:
https://fit.webmd.com/jr/food/article/parents-food-smart-kids
https://www.livescience.com/35876-kids-healthy-eating-tips.html
Promoting Healthy Nutrition Among Children
September 20, 2019
It’s so easy for kids to develop bad eating habits, especially when they are exposed to junk food early in life. Once children become accustomed to highly flavored fast food, sodas, and ice cream, feeding them naturally, home-cooked food, which is generally more bland tasting, may become a challenge. However, it is never too late to change your child's attitude towards healthy eating. Here are tips to help you promote healthy eating habits in and outside the home.
It’s so easy for kids to develop bad eating habits, especially when they are exposed to junk food early in life. Once children become accustomed to highly flavored fast food, sodas, and ice cream, feeding them naturally, home-cooked food, which is generally more bland tasting, may become a challenge.
However, it is never too late to change your child's attitude towards healthy eating. Here are tips to help you promote healthy eating habits in and outside the home.
Offer healthy food during snack time
We don’t want children to be grazing in between meals. Snacks should be dictated by parents so that they eat during mealtimes.
Limit junk food
Alter your grocery list so that junk food is not available at home. Children will naturally follow what they see their significant adults do. Healthy eating should be a family journey and should be undertaken by the whole household.
Always offer healthy alternatives to their favorites
Instead of store-bought chips, learn to make your own. Kangkong chips, anyone?
Want an alternative to candy? Try sweet, in-season fruits. These may be pureed and placed in ice trays for a cool ice pop treat. You may even skewer pieces of fruits on barbecue sticks.
Food must never be used as a reward
Giving your child their favorite snacks whenever they do good at home or in school can turn in to a habit which will only make them crave the snack
Instead, choose rewards outside of food. They could be as grand as a weekend beach getaway or as simple as extra playtime with mom or dad.
Kids follow what their parents do. So, eating healthy eating should start with you. If they see how much you enjoy eating fruits and vegetables, then it is likely that they will have, at the very least, an appreciation for healthy food.<!-- [if !supportAnnotations]-->
Allow your child to choose what food to eat for your next meal
The next time you’re thinking about what the family will eat come mealtime, ask your child to participate in meal planning. The idea is to make them understand the concept of a healthy balanced meal, flavors and textures can be incorporated in whole food cooked at home.
Consult your pediatrician.
Perhaps the most important part of improving a child’s everyday diet is consulting with your pediatrician. While there are many online resources on child-rearing and care, they should never replace a trusted professional’s guidance and advice.
How can The Medical City help you?
The Medical City's Center for Developmental Pediatrics (CDP) is the first in the Philippines to offer routine developmental screening and monitoring of children from zero to eight years old. The Center ensures that children can get all the help and guidance they need while growing up.
For more information, you may contact:
Center for Developmental Pediatrics (CDP)
(02) 988-1000/988-7000 ext. 6630
References:
https://fit.webmd.com/jr/food/article/parents-food-smart-kids
https://www.livescience.com/35876-kids-healthy-eating-tips.html
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