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9
Ways to Promote
Healthy Eating Habits
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As parents today we face time challenges that
force us to juggle multiple tasks and priorities.
These factors can conspire against us and allow
unhealthy habits to creep into our homes and
children’s lives. It takes effort but the solution is
to be mindful of the choices we make and the
examples we set for our children. The following
are nine ways you can help to promote healthy
eating habits at home:
1
Avoid the pressure of time by planning ahead
• Post a calendar in the kitchen with events then plan for meals that will fit the
schedule. Cook meals with tasty leftovers in mind
2
Create healthy options when on the run
• Keep a small cooler or lunch box in the car with fresh fruits and vegetables to
fill in gaps between meals
3
Help your children to recognize healthy nutritious food
• Serve lean cuts of meats like turkey, chicken, and fish
• Try mixing plant-based proteins (such as quinoa, lentils, tofu or kale)
into recipes
• Choose whole grain breads and cereals
• Limit sugar and salt in drinks and snacks
4
Learn to recognize your child’s hunger and satiety cues
• Ask them questions like “Is your tummy still making hungry rumbling noises”
or “Is your tummy telling you it’s full?”
• Encourage them to eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full.
This will teach them to understand hunger and fullness cues to prevent
overeating and build healthy body weight
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Encourage the child to be mindful when they are
eating; not to rush or eat while doing something else
• It takes time for our bodies to recognize when we
are full so eating at a measured pace will ensure
that your child can recognize when he/she is full
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6
Expose your child to a variety of foods
• Help to facilitate your child’s liking for a new food
by pairing it with one that he/she already likes
7
Encourage healthy portions
• Use smaller plates
• Encourage the child to take one serving at a time and to go back for seconds
only if still hungry
8
Do not use food as a reward or punishment
• Restricting access to desserts or treats for bad behavior can lead to an
unhealthy relationship with food later down the road
9
Prohibitions can backfire and create an unhealthy desire
• Banning treats will only promote temptation and abuse of the treat when they
are outside the home because they cannot have it when at home
• Manage the number of treats your child can eat each day so they understand
the implications of the choice
Following these simple guidelines will help your child to develop a more positive
relationship with food as they learn to be mindful of their food choices and develop
healthy eating habits through portion-awareness, self-awareness, and conscious
meal planning – strategies that will surely come in handy for years to come.
For more up-to-date news, nutrition
information, fun facts, contests,
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