8 Healthy Food Habits and Tips for Your Child

8 Healthy Food Habits and Tips for Your Child

Apr 01, 2021

Most parents want their children to grow up with healthy food habits. It’s important to instill good eating habits in your children at an early age. Here are some tips on how to do so:

1. Eat Different Colours of Food

Eating healthy can be fun, and a way to do this is by classifying healthy foods into colours. You and your kids can categorize them according to the colours you prefer. Whenever they are able to have five or more of them a day, feel free to reward them with the same-coloured stickers. And at the end of every week, have them exchange their stickers for a reward (perhaps a healthy dessert of sorts).

For example, leafy greens can be classified under “green.” Citrus fruits can be placed under “yellow.” Water will be under “blue.” Meats can be put under “purple,” so on, and so forth.

2. Breakfast Is Still Important

There are many blogs on the web that speak of how it is now acceptable to skip breakfast. Or any meal, for that matter. But experts and food caterers in Calgary say otherwise, especially when it comes to the diet of children.

Studies show that kids who eat breakfast regularly are more capable of doing physical activities throughout each day. They also seem to have a higher aptitude for mental activities (i.e., school participation). So, lovingly remind your child of its importance.

3. Teach Your Tummy

Parents are often concerned about whether their child has had enough food for the day or not. On average, they should consume somewhere between 1,600 to 2,200 calories per day (this may vary according to age). You can divide these numbers into 3 meals, or 4, with the inclusion of a light, healthy snack in the afternoons.

In terms of training your kids to respond to signals, help them understand that there are times when their stomach will rumble and act as though it is starving, even after they have had a meal. Teach them to differentiate these from ones that are body-clock reminders that it is time for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

4. Slow and Steady

Eat slowly and steadily. Eating should never be rushed. Waking up early and having an organized schedule is key to allowing your child to eat unhurriedly.

You might be asking, “Why is it important to eat slowly?”

The digestive system takes about 20 minutes to send signals to the brain that it is full. This implies that if you consume a ton of food at once, the brain will think that it is still hungry, well within that 20-minute market. Hence, a higher risk for obesity if this is kept up.

In addition to this, eating slowly leads to proper digestion.

5. Prepare Food at Home as A Family

Prepare home-cooked meals. Better yet, have your young ones aid you in food preparation, granted that all hot and sharp cooking utensils are out of reach. Doing so is an indirect manner of letting them be more discerning of what food items to add to a dish to make it “healthy.”

In addition, you can supervise them as they take on the role of “kid-chef” for kid recipes. Perhaps for one of your meals for the weekend.

For busy days when you want some healthy meals from outside your home, opt for food catering for children. Fueling Minds provides well-balanced meal packages.

6. Eat as A Family

Studies show that kids who eat together with their family are less likely to hurry when they eat. Apart from this, it is a practice that can hone their social skills. Plus, it is the ideal setting for training them about proper table manners.

7. The Universal Solvent

There is a reason why water is deemed as the universal solvent and why it is vital in the context of eating healthily. Water aids with digestion, unhealthy calorie and fat elimination, weight loss and weight stabilization, appetite suppression (number 3), and metabolism.

Teach your young ones the value of water in healthy eating and guide them into having a good water-drinking habit.

8. Stay Active

Finally, encourage your children to stay active. Exercise at least once a day. There are online resources you can read about regarding easy and child-friendly exercises.

Moreover, let your kids have time for play. Active playtime is another piece of the healthy pie of staying active.

For healthy food catering in Calgary and Saskatoon, contact Fueling Minds.

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