Children love to eat out and their choices vary from pizzas and french fries to noodles and pasta. TV commercials influence children in a way that they are prone to eat more junk food and fast food. Making your kids eat healthy food becomes an uphill task. Living in these uncertain times, life becomes a big hurdle for many busy parents as Schools including playschools and top preschools in Bangalore are closed. Children at home might demand unhealthy food and as parents, we have a great responsibility to bring up our children in the right way. So, how can we kindle your child’s growth and development? In this blog, you will learn the importance of home foods and how to encourage your children to eat healthy food.
The benefits of healthy food for children
A healthy diet and a healthy eating routine are the key factors in overall health. It is important that you teach your children about healthy eating habits at an early stage so that it gets inculcated in them. Healthy foods are filled with nutrients that promote physical and mental health thereby helping your child feel energized. There are many benefits of healthy food for children:
- Helps them maintain healthy body weight.
- Makes them focus easily because it helps in better brain function
- Stabilizes their energy
- Has a profound effect on your child’s sense of mental and emotional well-being
How can you encourage your children to eat healthy foods?
Here are some ways to encourage healthy eating habits.
Avoid eating food from outside.
Try and cook all their favourite foods at home.
Give them choices
Who doesn’t love variety? Variety is the spice of life. Incorporate fruits and vegetables into their diet whenever possible.
Make their after-school snacks as healthy as possible
Parents can discover recipes that are fun, easy and quick, yet loved by children. Introduce some veggies, fruits, and pulses. The aroma of freshly baked pancakes and the crunch of veggies are certainly attractive. Surprise your children when they get home!
Involve children while cooking
You can engage them and seek their help while cooking. Small chores like helping you wash the vegetables and fruits should be encouraged. With these chores you are engaging their senses and this helps to build positive connections with food. Let your child pick which vegetable to make for dinner or during visits to the grocery store. Your tiny chefs will love to work with you while cooking.
Make your meals media-free
Are your children distracted by TV and other digital media while eating? Turn the TV off and put your mobile phones aside and focus on food. Meal-time is very important where you can have a family conversation and share the day’s experiences. Social interaction is vital for your child.
Limit portion sizes
The portion size of food is an essential part of a balanced diet. It can help to reduce the risk of overeating and support children in regulating their appetite.
How foods can affect your child’s mood?
Did you know some foods may impair your child’s mood and behaviour? When children consume unhealthy foods, you can easily see a change in their behaviour like low motivation, irritability, and aggression. Eating healthy food can improve your child’s memory and attention span.
Artificial colouring, sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives like sodium benzoate (found in juice products) and Monosodium glutamate (MSG) should be avoided as these foods contribute to mood and behavioural changes in children.
The next thing comes to your mind…so what best foods are there to improve behaviour in children?
Create a healthy diet plan by including these nutrients:
- Vitamin B – Regulates the mood and behaviour
- Vitamin D – Improves energy, mood, and sleep in children
- Iron – Plays a vital role in attention, mood, and energy
- Protein – A building block of a child’s brain and body
- Magnesium – Calms the nervous system
- Zinc – plays a major role in sleep and mood while improving social behaviour
- Omega-3 – Recent study shows that children performed better in reading and spelling.
It is wise to keep a food journal to track your child’s behavioural changes and mood swings. Try to eliminate suspicious foods that affect your child’s behaviour. Your menu should cover nutrients that are mentioned above to keep your children healthy and active.
At Chrysalis Kids, the best play school in Whitefield, mealtime is more than just developing eating habits. It is about interacting with others and developing good table manners.
If you are seeking admission for your child in this top preschool in Bangalore, contact us right away!