Feeding nutritious food to kids can be challenging sometimes, especially when the child is a fussy eater. It is true that kids often throw tantrums when it comes to eating home-cooked meals and inculcating healthy eating habits in such a situation can be rather difficult. Therefore, it becomes important for the parents to make their children understand the importance of a healthy diet and make them adopt it in their regular life.
Based on the inputs by our experts, ETV Bharat Sukhibhava is going to share some more things you need to know about healthy eating in children and how you can help them develop this habit in their routine life.
Let your child help you in cooking
An Indore, Madhya Pradesh based Chef, Deepali Khandelwal, who organizes cooking classes and workshops for children, says that it is true that kids don’t like to eat what they dislike. But, to avoid this tendency and develop good eating habits in children, parents need to put some effort into doing the same. They can sit with their child and make them aware of our body’s nutritional requirements and the importance of eating fruits, vegetables, nuts, sprouts, etc. It is also very important to encourage the child to eat all kinds of food without being stubborn or fussy.
Usually, children refuse to eat food just by looking at it. They don’t even know how it tastes. Therefore, when you go grocery shopping, encourage your kids to accompany you and make them pick fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods on the basis of colour, texture and even fragrance. Let them also participate in the cooking process, so that they feel excited to eat what they have cooked.
Consuming healthy food in the right quantity
Some parents think that since the child is in his/her developing stage, eating more food will help them get more nutrition, which is not true. Overeating can be more harmful than being beneficial for health. Therefore, have your child eat food in the desired quantity only and at a proper time. This will not only provide them with proper nutrition but also protect them from obesity and other digestive problems. Remember, too much oil and sugar is also not good for kids’ health. It is important to give them a balanced diet.
Pediatrician Dr. Latika Joshi says that excessively sweet and fried food can cause many serious illnesses like diabetes and obesity in children. Moreover, not just physical, but such foods affect their mental health as well and may cause problems like hyperactivity, mood swings, anger and irritability.
If your child likes sweets, instead of feeding them with refined sugar, you can opt for healthier options like fruits or dry fruits. Dr. Latika says that parents usually complain that their child eats less food. But, parents need to understand that every child’s appetite is different and it changes with age. All you need to keep an eye on is their height and weight. If you notice that your child is not developing properly, you must consult a doctor.
Pick fruits over juice
Nutritionist Dr Sangeeta Malu says that parents generally feel that it is necessary to give children juices, considering they are healthy. But, consumption of whole fruits is more beneficial than consuming juices, as the former provides more fiber and nutrients as compared to the latter. However, the juice is undoubtedly a healthier option over cold drinks and other beverages, but more nutrients can be obtained from whole fruits.
Many times, when children start becoming reluctant to eat fruits and vegetables, their mothers try to feed them fruits and vegetables in the form of sauce and other such ways. Not just that, they try to feed vegetables like bottle gourd and pulses by mixing them and making chapatis. Dr. Malu explains that this practice is not wrong, but if a child is fed in this manner, he/she won’t understand the importance of including vegetables and pulses in the diet.
She says that it is very important to explain the importance of including all food types in the diet. This can be easily taught if you involve your kids in grocery shopping and help them assist you in cooking. Both these activities can be a learning experience and kids may eat all types of food without any tantrums.
Also Read: What To Feed Your Baby In The First Year?
