Healthy food tips for families with children
The start of a new year is a common time to set goals for the year ahead and quite often one or more of these is around adopting healthier habits, such as to eat better or exercise more. However, a common mistake with these type of new year resolutions is that people try out misleading, ‘fad’ diets; which are not the most sustainable (or healthy!). As a result, they eventually revert back to their old ways. The trick to being healthy is to simply have a balanced diet that is not only nutritious, but also easy to maintain!
By encouraging your children to eat healthily from a young age, they are more likely to make smarter food choices into their adolescence and beyond. But not only can a healthy diet help to maintain a healthy weight, but it can also prevent health issues, such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. What’s more, did you know that healthy eating for children can also improve their concentration in school, stabilise their energy levels, improve their mood and prevent mental health conditions such as depressions, anxiety or ADHD?
Following our healthy food tips for families with children will help create a healthier and happier lifestyle for everyone.
Start with a healthy breakfast
Eating breakfast helps to refuel the body and give you energy for the day ahead. And eating a breakfast which is high in protein can also help you stay fuller for longer. A lot of cereals aimed at children are high in sugar; which can cause children’s energy levels to peak then crash. Instead, opt for slow-releasing carbohydrate sources, such as low-sugar, whole grain cereals, or oatmeal and for protein sources, choose eggs or low-fat greek yoghurt. If you’re short for time, then fresh fruit or trail mixes take little to no preparation, have good nutritional value and are easy to grab and eat on the go.
Introduce small changes over time
Often when people are trying to make the change to eat healthier, we can be restrictive or change too much in our diet at once. As creatures of habit, it is easy to fall back into our old ways. If you make small changes or swaps and gradually introduce healthier options over time, you will find eating healthier much more sustainable! You can still eat the majority of foods you enjoy, but choose healthier alternatives by comparing the nutritional value on food labels or even cutting down on portion sizes. A few easy and healthy food swaps include choosing low-fat milk instead of whole milk, swapping white bread or pasta for wholewheat varieties, ice cream for frozen yoghurt and instead of creamy pasta sauces or dressings, choosing vegetable-based options, or even better – make your own healthy alternative!
Cut down on sugar
Children shouldn’t have any more than 12 grams of sugar per day. That is equivalent to approximately 3 teaspoons. Sugar is most commonly found in chocolate, fizzy drinks and sweets, but did you know that there are hidden sugars in some foods that you wouldn’t even consider to be sweet? Things like tomato ketchup, pasta sauces, cereals and cereal bars, white bread and pasta, fruit juices and soup can also contain high amounts of sugar. Therefore it can be difficult to estimate how much you’re actually consuming. Eating too much sugar can be really bad for your health and lead to problems later in life, such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease and tooth decay. When buying pre-packaged food, check food labels to see how much sugar it contains and try choosing the reduced sugar or low in sugar options. Consider making healthier swaps, such as fresh fruit instead of cereal bars or making your own homemade soups or pasta sauces. As a reference, anything higher than 22.5g per 100g is considered very high in sugar and anything 5g or less per 100g is considered low in sugar.
Eat together as a family
Sitting down to eat together as a family is an important part of establishing healthy eating habits. Eating the same meal as a family will help to encourage children to try different foods, so it is important to set a good example by eating a well-balanced, nutritious meal. Family meals, when eaten together, are also proven to help expose children to a variety of foods and expand their tastes.
Don’t use food as a reward or punishment
Quite commonly, snacks and treats are used as a reward for children’s good behaviour. Alternatively, a parent might withhold special treats as a means of punishment. The danger with this is that it can send mixed messages. We want children to enjoy the foods that are good for them and eat less of the foods with little nutritional value. Yet by rewarding a child with chocolate or sweets for good behaviour, they are being told that they can eat foods that are bad for them for doing something good. This can lead to children wanting to eat more of the bad stuff and associating certain moods with certain foods. For example, someone might feel good about themselves for making it to the gym but they then treat themselves to a slice of cake.
Don’t force children to eat
You shouldn’t force your children to finish their plates clean if they’re full, as this can lead to them overeating. Instead, encourage them to eat enough variety of the food on their plate and ensure that their meal consists of a balance of the food groups, with a high proportion of this being from fruit or vegetables. If your children are fussy eaters, disguising foods, such as vegetables in pasta or rice or mixing meals together in bowl can help to ensure they are consuming a wide variety and getting good nutritional value, even if they don’t finish their plate.
Stay hydrated
Often when we feel hungry or are craving certain foods, this can be a sign that we are not drinking enough. Drinking plenty of fluids can help reduce hunger by making us feel fuller, as it sends a signal to our brains. Drinking water before and during meals also helps your body to digest food and absorb nutrients more effectively, making you feel more satisfied and fuller for longer. Avoid sugary drinks and instead opt for sugar-free options or add a slice of lemon or lime to water as a natural sweetener. Milk is also a useful source of nutrients including protein and calcium, but children should only drink low or reduced fat variants. Milkshakes and hot chocolate should only be drunk occasionally. Fruit or vegetable smoothies can also be high in sugar and acidity; which are bad for our teeth and should therefore be diluted or drunk in moderation with plenty of water.
Combined with regular physical activity, a few simple changes to your food habits as a family can help you all be healthier and happier. How do you plan on staying healthy as a family in 2020? Share your ideas with us by emailing us or tagging us in your posts (@LearnHappie)