Healthy food habits for Children..

Let eating nutritious food alone not be the only way to live a disease free life. Healthy habits inculcated at a young stage in life can also be a counting factor for your child. Parents not only influence children’s eating behavior but can also act as ideal role models for eating right. Factors like accessibility, availability and parent modeling all together bring in drastic changes in choices of foods made by children.

Compulsory family meal time together: Create a positive space for children to enjoy meal time with family sharing the same table for food with them. Let meal time be a time of joy than punishment right from the age of infancy.

Encourage your children to eat slowly. A child can detect hunger and fullness better when they eat slowly. Before offering a second helping or serving, ask your child to wait at least 15 minutes to see if they are truly still hungry. This will give the brain time to register fullness. Also, that second helping should be much smaller than the first.

Discourage eating meals or snacks while watching TV. TV dinners can divert your child’s attention. A healthy food habit requires adequate attention of children to food served and to every morsel consumed. Do not chase your child with a spoon full of food.

Good food with enough exercise: Fussy eating habits can overpower healthy eating habits. Ensure your child has adequate play time to be famished for every healthy food you serve at home during meal time.

Buy healthy snacks. Offer healthy snacks that your child likes, and keep them within easy reach.

Lead your child to follow you: Your pick on healthy foods in front of children will help them mimic the same in their life. Cook and eat healthy with your child.

Pay attention to portion size and ingredients. Read food labels and limit foods with trans fat. Also, make sure you serve the appropriate portion as indicated on the label.