Food is one of the most essential elements of life, after air and water. We all consume food in our daily life and in return it affects our body and mental growth. Food provides us with energy necessary for development and maintenance of life and plays an important role in promotion of health and prevention of diseases. Food consists of essential nutrients such as fats, minerals, proteins, carbohydrate and vitamins which when consumed provides with nutritional support needed by our body to function. Food is a mixture of various ingredients. Food comes in forms of grains, pulses, cereals, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, oil etc. Our body nourishes with the intake of food and often insufficient intake of nutrients leads to infections or illness.
Kids are very picky when it comes to eating. Mothers keep complaining of how they are guilty of not being able to make their kids eat good and healthy food. It has been a concern of all mothers since ages. Here are a few tips to help mothers ease their trouble.
1. Make a schedule – Children need to take at least 3 to 4 meals a day plus fluids and snacks. Properly schedule diets leave no room for junk food. If you planned these schedules your child’s diet will be much more balanced.
2.Introduce new foods – A little hero worship can work wonders too. Telling kid stories of how their favourite cartoon or film character eats a particular food may work for kids and helps in getting their taste buds gets used to a flavour even before they’ll like the taste.
3.Bite your tongue –May seem difficult but try and not comment on what and how much the kids should eat. Forced words will only lead to resistance.
4.Plan dinners – Plan weekly menus. A good dinner does not necessarily have to be a fancy one instead it should be balanced with grains vegetables bread rice cereals milk and fruits.
5.Dip it – Kids don’t usually eat vegetable experimenting with dips might prove helpful. Most children enjoy dips such as ketchup, salsa, hummus, salsa and yogurt or as salad dressings.
6.Make morning meals count – Breakfast is an easy way to sneak in foods with high fibre and cereals in our daily meals.
7.Introduce your kids to cooking – Getting your kids involved in choosing and preparing meals will make them more interested in eating what they have created. Taking them to the store, allowing them to choose produce making them assist you while cutting vegetables and fruits and mixing salads are a few useful tricks to get them interested.
8.Cut back on junk – It is you and not your kids who are in charge of what food will enter your house. Fewer junk foods around will help you to increase the intake of healthy food items.
9.Be a role model – Constantly being on a diet sends a wrong message to your children. They will grow up thinking of it as a normal behaviour. Allow your body to tell you when you are hungry and when you are full.
Conclusion
Kid eating healthy is all about a gradual change and an uphill battle for parents. The food smarts that your children learn from you can protect them for a lifetime.
