- 1). Begin teaching your kids good eating habits when they are very young. If kids become used to healthy, nutritious snacks and drinks when they are toddlers, they will be more likely to make wise choices about what they eat as they get older.
- 2). Go to the website Playnormous.com, a free online community for parents, teachers and kids that makes learning about good nutrition fun, instead of a task. You can find kid-friendly games that help teach kids about healthy eating habits and exercise. You can also find classroom activity ideas for teachers and guides, links and resources for parents.
- 3). Encourage your kids to help you plan healthy family meals. Sit with them and ask them to write down or tell you some ideas of nutritious meals everybody can enjoy together. Helping you decide on meals that affect the whole family will make them feel more involved.
- 4). Let your kids accompany you grocery shopping. Have them pick out fruits, vegetables, and healthy snacks and drinks. If your kids are older, you can ask them to check the labels of food items they are considering to make sure they have nutritional value. Giving kids this kind of responsibility will make them more aware of how important it is to make smart dietary choices.
- 5). Find ways to make healthy versions of foods kids like. For example, try pureeing vegetables your children may have an aversion to and adding them to dishes like pizza and macaroni and cheese. To find ideas for healthy foods, visit your local library and check out the book "Deceptively Delicious - Get Your Kids Eating Good Food" by Jessica Seinfeld. This book has a number of clever, nutritious recipes kids like.
- 6). Teach by example. Kids tend to emulate what they see their parents do. You can't expect your children to eat healthy if you don't. When they see you making wise food choices and staying away from foods high in fat, such as junk foods, processed foods and fast foods, they will want to follow suit, especially when they see that healthy eating helps you control your weight, keep your blood pressure and cholesterol in check, avoid illness and have more energy.
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