The healthy eating of children is a learning for which the parents or the family in general are responsible. It is not only about the supply or not of certain products on the market, although that point also has an impact. The task goes beyond that since it is the adults who teach and pass on their own eating habits to the infants.
By the way, a good example will encourage food preferences to steer away from toxic routines like soda, pizza, and a myriad list of junk foods. Unfortunately, there are many cases in which bad eating habits pass from one generation to another, as well as diseases.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), “young children watch your every move, even at mealtime. You can set a good example by favoring healthy foods, drinks, and snacks, and engaging in fun physical activity. Serve healthy, whole foods so your child gets used to eating them.”
Also involving him in the preparation process, for example, when preparing the salad, adding the ingredients to the main dish when cooking can be a very convenient alternative so that the child not only identifies with healthy foods, such as vegetables, fruits, a balanced diet itself, but also learn to enjoy it.
Unicef recommends the following: “Try taking your child shopping and ask them to help you prepare meals. He will enjoy cooking healthy and tasty meals with you for the whole family. Also, take advantage of mealtime to teach your child about the different food groups and the nutrients and vitamins that our body needs.”
Instilling good lifestyle habits in children, which could translate into a good diet accompanied by physical activity, is nothing more than guaranteeing them a future life path in a healthy way. Diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease can be avoided based on something as simple as a healthy diet.
Here are some key tips for parents who don’t know or know how to figure it out: “Help him detect when he’s hungry so he can listen to his body’s cues and know his needs. Avoid using food as a reward or punishment, as this can cause children to develop an unhealthy relationship with food.”
Likewise, Unicef suggests, “do not prohibit certain foods, such as sweets, as this can have the opposite effect to that desired: it can lead to your child wanting to eat them more. Instead of refusing any unhealthy foods or drinks, limit portion sizes and get him used to the idea that he should eat them infrequently.”
“Teach your child that some foods are better than others for their health. If she wants to eat something sweet, for example, explain why it’s better to choose a whole food with a natural sugar content, like fruit, instead of a processed food like cereals with added sugars. Try to reward good behavior.”
It is the responsibility of parents and relatives who are immersed in the child’s daily education, not only to guarantee a plate of food at the indicated time, but also to provide it with the necessary nutrients for its development and health, avoiding problems such as being overweight or bad habits that are difficult to correct in the future.
