When it comes to teaching children, actions speak louder than words. Healthy eating habits and exercise start at an early age. Kids imitate everything we do. It\u2019s pretty simple; they want to do what we do. I still remember saying to myself as a kid, I\u2019m not going to be like my mom when I grow up. When in fact, I\u2019m her twin. I do everything thing like my mom use to do when it comes to raising my kiddos. I must say I love her for it. She taught me a lot, especially about healthy eating. \u00a0I\u2019m so lucky I get to pass what I have learned to my two little ones. I grew up eating fresh veggies, fruit, lean proteins, whole grains and not eating processed foods. Going out for a pizza dinner was an extra treat that we had maybe once a month.\u00a0 From toddlers to teens here are some tips to improve nutrition and encourage smart eating habits. Your kids will love you for it as they get older.<\/p>\n
Tip 1: Have family meals. Having a family ritual is comforting to both the parents and the kids. It\u2019s a chance to talk about what\u2019s going on and communicate. Kids who take part in family meals tend to eat more fruits, veggies and whole grains. They are less likely to snack on junk food and are less likely to start to smoke and drink alcohol.\u00a0 Family meals offer the chance to introduce kids to new foods. Having our family meal is my favorite part of my day. I love to hear the stories my kids have to share and I can be a role model as I eat all the good stuff on my plate.<\/p>\n
Tip 2: Stocking up on healthy foods. Kids will usually eat what you have at home.\u00a0 So it so important to control what types of food you have available. When shopping for groceries try to stay on the perimeter of the store, where the fresh fruits, veggies, dairy and the lean proteins are. It makes it easy for them to choose a healthy snack. My weekly staples from the grocery store are fruits, veggies, peanut butter, whole grain crackers, cheese, eggs, nuts and yogurt. One of my oldest son\u2019s favorite snacks is an egg salad sandwich made with ripe avocado on whole grain bread. My baby boy\u2019s favorite is whole grain crackers with spreadable herb cheese and fruit. When I hear them ask for their favorite snacks it makes me feel great knowing how delicious and nutritious their choices are! WHOOP! WHOOP! \u00a0<\/p>\n
When cooking your foods try not to fry them. \u00a0We usually saut\u00e9, stream or grill our favorite foods (thanks to my hubby the grill master). I haven\u2019t turned the oven on in a long time. I\u2019m also so thankful for the crock-pot. Talk about easy.\u00a0 I prepare just about anything in the crock-pot, from breakfast to dinner and everything in between. \u00a0I must say she is my go to appliance in the kitchen. Add all the ingredients cover and turn it on.\u00a0 While it\u2019s cooking you can go run errands or even sneak in a workout. Get home and BANG! Dinner is done!!!.\u00a0 \u00a0I love it!\u00a0 I do treat my kids. They ask for their favorite restaurant treat Chick-Fil-A! I find myself sitting in the drive thru once a week. I usually allow them to have those tasty chicken nuggets as a dinner treat at the end of the week. I call it when mommy is super tired and I don\u2019t want to cook Fridays! \u00a0As long as they don\u2019t overindulge, treats are great!!!<\/p>\n
Tip 3: Be a role model. The best way to encourage healthy eating is to eat healthy yourself.\u00a0 Kids love to play follow the leader .They will follow the lead of the adult they see every day. I practice portion control with my kids. We make sure we don\u2019t eat until we are stuffed, but until we feel satisfied. \u00a0By eating healthy and not over indulging in the bad stuff the kids will get the message.<\/p>\n
Tip 4: Don\u2019t battle over food. Parents sometimes find themselves bargaining or bribing their kids to eat food. (Been there, done that). As parents we tend to control everything. \u00a0If we allow them to have some control of what they eat there is less stress and arguing of what to eat. Let them decide if they are hungry.\u00a0 Have them help with the menu for the week. Planning what to eat is fun. They get pretty excited when they know what is on the menu for that day.\u00a0 Try to keep scheduled meals, don\u2019t force them to clear their plates, don\u2019t reward with food and never use food to show love.\u00a0 I love yous, hugs and kisses work best!<\/p>\n
Tip 5: Get them involved.\u00a0 Dinner time use to be stressful for me. \u00a0The kids are tired and hungry and so am I. I felt like I had to control the kitchen. \u00a0During dinner preparation I try to give my boys a job. \u00a0When they get to choose a healthy dinner and prepare it, cuts way down on the stress level. It\u2019s a lot easier for me to let them have a say of what they want to eat when they are choosing the good stuff. When kids are involved it helps prepare them to make good decisions in the future on about foods they want to eat. I love it when I hear someone comment on how healthy my kids eat and how they take after their mommy!!<\/p>\n
The mealtime habits we create for our kids today can lead to a lifetime of healthier choices. I hope this tips will help!<\/p>\n
Happy Healthy Eating With Your Kiddos Forever!<\/p>\n
Sandy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When it comes to teaching children, actions speak louder than words. Healthy eating habits and exercise start at an early age. Kids imitate everything we do. It\u2019s pretty simple; they want to do what we do. I still remember saying to myself as a kid, I\u2019m not going to be like my mom when I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mbp_gutenberg_autopost":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n