Monday, December 29, 2008

Healthy Eating Intended for Children

By Michael Byrd

Healthy eating designed for children sometimes does not hit the target.

Resorting to bribery, threats or manipulation can be done by parents just to persuade their child to eat healthy food. But there is an easier way to do this and parents would not need to employ such dirty tactics on children.

There are seven quick tips to help you succeed with healthy eating.

1. Begin as early as possible. It can be harder to do if you waited longer. The taste buds of children may be ruined by sweet treats and when that happens, it is really hard to get them to eat Brussels sprouts and broccoli. You can opt to choose tip # 4 if you have waited to long ? be firm ? you need to be ready for the negative reaction you may get from your kids that can last for a few days.

2. Store a variety of healthy foods. It keeps them from being attached to a single food or food group. Yes they can have their own favorites, but presenting them with a variety can help convince them to like other food tastes. A piece of warning though, unhealthy food stocked in the house is definitely not included in the plan. Junk foods have to be banned.

3. Mix the food that they like with the food they don't like. Here is an example: you can try to stir fry onions with zucchini, broccoli, carrots and snow peas rather than having them eat steamed broccoli. Try to slice the veggies into small pieces so they can eat some carrots with zucchini.

4. Be firm! Show them your stiff-love to make your plan succeed. When it is time to eat, tell your children that there is nothing more to eat but the food that you prepared. If you only have healthy food in your house, they will have no other option. As soon as they get really hungry, they will eat whatever food is available.

5. Keep your kid away from people who may sabotage your plan. Some people are just too wicked that they find fulfilment in successfully luring a child to get sweets that they offer. It can be disappointing that even doctors and dentists offer my children candy. Tell your kids to politely decline by saying "No thank you". If the person is a relative, tell them frankly how you do not like what they are doing and that you will stop visiting them if they won't stop.

6. Do not allow your child to watch commercial TV. Yes that is right. Commercials on TV provide nutritional education to 95% of our population. And as our children watch kid's shows, they only see commercials of junk food. This can influence them a lot on what food they want to eat.

7. Be a good example. This happens to be the most important thing to do. How can you expect your child to stop eating candy and ice cream if you don't? How will you convince them to eat fish, veggies and whole grains if they see that you don't eat them as well? While they are still young, they will always look up to you. So be a good role model.

If you were not a good role model, you definitely have no right to criticize your child's poor eating habits, obesity, ADHD and when your child gets sick, you will need to take a lot of time off from work.

Get yourself more love, go into healthy eating! - 16955

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