This is a guest post written by Emma Claire.
For many parents, preparing healthy food for children is both a satisfying and stressful experience. But most of the time, a stand-off occurs during mealtime between you and your child to actually eat nutritious food served on the plate. Most children do not like eating leafy green meals and would rather choose junk food. While they do not provide sufficient nutrients that most children need, kids will always choose food that is pleasing to their eyes. This is why parents have to be more creative in preparing a healthy meals to improve nutrition and encourage a better eating habit.
Most children do not have a healthy diet. In fact, according to studies, many fail to eat the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables every day. There are a lot of factors involved in this, but one of the major role players is television. Studies have shown that children and teenagers are likely to eat more soft drinks and junk food because of what they always watch on T.V. This is why it is very important to stress out the benefits of eating healthy food for children.
Benefits of serving healthy food for children
Proper growth
Children need to eat healthy food because their body requires all the right nutrients to grow. A child who is deprived of healthy food could face a lot of physical and mental health problems compared to a child who gets sufficient nutrients and vitamins.
Ability to learn and concentrate
Children who eat healthy food can learn faster and develop better concentration. You can assure that your child can go a long way in academics when you always serve healthy food on the table.
Easier recovery from illnesses or injury
Kids can recover easily from wounds and other illnesses when they have a healthy diet. You can also prevent your child from getting various illnesses when you always make them eat healthy food.
Types of healthy food that your child really needs
Calcium
This is the most important nutrient that most children need. Calcium is essential to building healthy bones and teeth. It is also important for improved muscle, nerve, as well as proper heart function. Foods that have high calcium content include milk, cheese, yogurt, spinach, tofu, egg, and broccoli.
Protein
Protein is essential as it helps with your child’s body in creating cells, and breaking down food into energy, carry oxygen into the body, as well as fighting infection. You can find protein from serving meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, beans, and nuts.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are needed by children as a source of energy. Without them, your child may always feel weak during the day, affecting the everyday routine in school, or house. Carbohydrates are also important because they build and repair tissues. Foods rich in carbohydrates include bread, rice, cereals, potatoes, pasta, as well as crackers.
Tips to keep your children eating healthy food
Serving healthy food can be very hard, especially with hectic schedules, and the temptation to just buy instant food. However, follow these key tips to help keep your child eating a healthy and delicious meal.
Offer healthy food at home
Buy healthy food on your next trip to the grocery store. When your kid does not have junk food options in the fridge, you will be able to promote a healthy diet easily. Keep plenty of fruits, and healthy beverages for your kids.
Cook more meals at home
Do not let your child get used to instant food that can be easily bought from fast food restaurants. Cook healthy food at home but add more creativity to it to encourage your child to eat nutritious food at home.
Check out this Pinterest board for some fun ideas:
Eat together
When children eat all by themselves they can make bad food choices or get easily distracted and not finish what’s on their plate. But when you eat together, as a family, you can always assure that your child gets the right nutrients from eating healthy food while spending quality time together.
Prepare healthy food alternatives
When your child wants to eat more sweet and fatty food, try suggesting a healthier option. There are many healthy alternatives for chips, candies, as well as French fries. All you need is to know those alternatives so you can prepare them the next time your child requests one. Did you know that you can make a healthy almond milk latte for your kid using the best latte machine?
In Conclusion
Giving your child healthy good to eat provides a wide array of benefits as they grow up. Follow the tips above to make certain that you are giving the best nutrition to your kid as well as to boost his/her eating habit.
Author Bio:
Emma Claire Cooknovel.com
I’m Emma, and I’m absolutely in love with food blogs. I’d like to share the interesting recipes, food tips and top lists of kitchen gadgets. I’m a foodie at heart but being the mother of 3 kids, it’s not always easy to keep up with fancy dinners… so I rely on the support of other blogging moms like me to help along the way.
Find Emma at Cooknovel.com or follow her on Twitter.
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