How to Develop Nutritious Food Habits in Kids
It is important to remember that our kids are not born with the craving for French fries and pizza and an aversion to broccoli & carrots. This conditioning happens over time as kids are exposed to more and more unhealthier choices.
In today’s life, people live a fast life and have a hectic schedule and it is no wonder so many kids’ diets are built around convenience and takeout food. But switching to a healthy diet can have a profound effect on children’s health.
Whether they are a toddler or in their teens, children develop a natural preference for the food they enjoy the most. To encourage healthy eating habits the challenge is to make nutritious choices appealing.
Ideas to develop healthy eating habits
- Get kids involved in shopping for groceries and preparing meals.
- Inculcate the habit of growing vegetables in the kitchen garden regularly which in turn instill the habit of eating these vegetables growing by them happily.
- Sit down as a family to eat home cooked meal inculcate the importance of healthy food.
Some Smart techniques to cook healthy food for kids:
- Burger: Instead of using readymade burger bun, we can use homemade atta/wheat bun
- Use Vegetable patty (Tikki) instead of potato patty (tikki)
- Wraps & Rolls: Use homemade wraps made with wheat & vegetables like beetroot, spinach, bathua etc.
- Paratha & Roti: Paratha dough made with wheat & mix vegetables.
- Smoothie: Smoothie is the best option to give the kids those fruits which they don’t like to eat happily.
- Recipes made from Oat is again a very healthy option which can be made tastier like Oats Idli: “Click here for the recipe”
Be a role model:
Children watch and imitate adults and look to them to learn everything. It can never be a case where the parents enjoy party food and try to feed their children a healthy diet as Children very quickly pick up their parents’ attitudes about food. As role models, parents need to make sure they’re demonstrating a healthy attitude toward food so their children do, too.
