As I’m developing the family coaching component to my wellness coaching program, I thought I would share some healthy eating tips for kids from my friends at Veggiecation. I’m often asked how can I get my child to eat more healthy foods, so here are some tips and tricks to use.
- Try something new! Regularly introduce new foods to your child. Do not be discouraged by an initial negative reaction. Research shows us that it can take as many as 12 –15 exposures to a new food for children to become familiar and accepting of it.
- Lead by example. Parents’ attitudes and behaviors have a strong influence on children’s food choices. Be sure to be positive about healthy foods but be careful not to pressure children to eat them.
- Look for ways to alter your favorite recipes to be more healthful.
- Make fruits and vegetables the easy option. Take a tip from the smart folks who thought to put potato chips in single-serving bags. Stock a kid-accessible shelf in your fridge with little bags of cut fruit and vegetables, applesauce, and fruit cups.
- How to feed picky eaters – Allow your picky eater to lend a hand in selecting groceries and deciding what’s for dinner. Having a say will help your children be more comfortable and feel empowered at mealtime.
- Cooking with kids -Kids are much more likely to try a new food if they had a hand in preparing it. Save simple tasks like peeling carrots, tearing lettuce, whisking a dressing or tossing in ingredients for your kids to do.
It’s not always easy to please everyone in the family, but once you start creating healthier habits for yourself, others will follow. Remember we lead by example. If you are interested in more tips and child friendly recipes, then contact me to get your family started on their way to a healthy wellness lifestyle.
Wellness Wednesday,
Tash
