Children eating habits have become quite unhealthy in the present times. Learn more about promoting healthy eating habits in kids.

Children Eating Habits

The lifestyle of people has undergone a drastic change, in the present scenario. With the changing norms of the society, people are becoming increasingly liberal and busy. The cut throat competition, which occurs in all spheres of the world, has solely changed the equations of family life. In a modern urban family, both the parents are usually working, which gives them little time to pay the required amount of attention to their children. This is one of the biggest reasons for the shift in the eating habits of kids. Fast food has become the fastest ways for parents as well as children to satisfy their bon-appetite. However, what remains unnoticed, are the ill consequences of the same.
 
Junk Food
The rising accommodation of fast food, so called the ‘junk food,’ in daily meal is heavily contributing in making the human body a junkyard, as they carry infinitesimal nutritional value. This has become a cause of worry, as children in their formative years should be given highly nutritious food to make the foundation of their life stronger. On the contrary, the growing consumption of fast foods has resulted in making the children fall prey to hazardous diseases and conditions like Diabetes, Obesity, high cholesterol level, various deficiencies etc.
 
Solution
To make your kids grow healthy, a high nutritional value balanced diet is essential. Though handling kids is not easy in respect with what they want to eat, it can still be managed with a little patience and tact. There are some simple strategies, which when followed with smartness can relieve you from worrying about your child’s health. Given below are some vital points to promote healthy eating habits in children. 
  • Regular family meals - Eating regular family meals helps the parents to catch up with their children and to know what they are actually eating. Try to serve healthy foods on such occasions, which will expose your children to high quality stuff. Moreover, when children see their own parents enjoying the food so much, they tend to experiment and change their taste.
  • Variety of healthy foods and snacks - Kids tend to eat anything that is available at home, which makes it important for you to keep a check on what is in stock. Keep variety of fruits, vegetables, ready to eat low fat snacks such as yoghurt, celery, whole grain crackers, cheese, eggs, nuts, etc. Replace aerated sugary drinks with low fat milk and water. Also, limit fast food such as chips and candies but do not ban them, so that the kids do not feel deprived.
  • Be a role model - The best way to inculcate healthy eating habits in your kids is to eat healthy yourself. Be a role model in front of them and consume less unhealthy stuff. Also, do not overeat and keep a positive approach towards food.
  • Don’t battle over food - Do not fight with your kids to make them eat healthy. Do not force them or bribe them. Persuade them gradually and with affection. Do not associate rewards or demonstration of love with food.
  • Involve kids - Another way to persuade them is to involve them in the process. Give your child some healthy food choices and ask him what he wants to eat. You can even ask your kid to help you in the kitchen to make him enjoy the process of making a nutritious dish or snack.

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