August is Kids Eat Right Month, a time dedicated to promoting healthful eating and active lifestyles in children and families alike.
So how can we promote healthy eating and active lifestyles in kids? Below you’ll find some tips:
Involve kids in the planning, and in the selection of what foods to buy at the store.
Before you shop:
Talk with your kids about what your family has going on during the week.
Get input on what foods people might like, or meals the family should have that week(think breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, and snacks).
Decide what days and what times family meals will be, being sure to keep varying schedules in mind while planning.
Chat about mealtime strategies, or plans, for kids with activities taking place during scheduled family meals.
Make a grocery list.
At the Store:
Have kids help in finding and selecting items on the grocery list.
Show them how to select quality produce.
Teach about different food groups.
Purchase a variety of nutritious foods to have on hand.
Include them in food preparation and cooking, as much as you can:
Allow kids to help with age appropriate kitchen tasks. Rinsing fruits and vegetables, folding napkins, setting the table, measuring, mixing, or following a recipe to create a meal.
Enjoy meals together and clean up as a team.
Eating together as a family has proven to have many benefits. It can help people develop healthy eating behaviors, encourage the trying of new foods, make healthy food choices, develop positive relationships with food, and also helps to support in building positive family relationships too.
Turn off the TV and remove any other distractions. Focus on the meal, conversation, and the quality time spent with one another.
Be a role model and practice healthy living as a family!
Kids learn by observation, so in order to promote healthy eating, and healthy and active lifestyles, we too must show how to eat nutritiously, demonstrate how to have a healthy relationship with food, engage in healthy lifestyles, and participate in physical activity too!
And, remember if you are concerned about your child's, or family's, eating style, or need additional support in any of the above, connect with me, I am here to help!