Nutrition is so important, especially for growing children. The food you put in your body affects you physically and mentally in a large way. Deciding the menu for another person can be challenging, there are a few things that can make it a little bit easier!
Take Out as Opposed to Adding
It is much easier to take out an unhealthy item from a diet than to add healthy ones in. This can be an easy start to moving to a healthier menu. For example, if you give your kids a “Little Debby” cake with their lunch each day you can start with just simply removing it. Removing it already gives them a healthier lunch without adding anything back in. It is also helpful that, as kids, we are quick to forget. They might ask about their Oatmeal Creme Pie for a couple of days, but afterwards will be satisfied with the lunch that they now have. Removing an item can help a lot more than you might realize!
Turn the Ship Slow
It is important that you turn the ship slow. Turning the ship slow simply translates to making small changes over time. It is much easier to slowly take out items and add some in instead of completely changing a diet overnight. Children, especially, do not react well to change and they need to be eased into a healthier lifestyle. Making these changes slowly, kids will have better and healthier fuel without even realizing it!
Discipline in the Grocery Store
You have to be disciplined when you go to the grocery store. It is much easier to pass the isle with your favorite treats on it once while shopping opposed to having it in your home. You can avoid the Oreos while at the store, but seeing them in your pantry everyday can become very tempting. Be sure to be a smart grocery shopper for a better chance at success!
Get the Kids Involved
It is more exciting for kids when they get to play a role in what they eat. You can provide them with a few options and let them pick what they’d like to have at dinner. Allowing kids to choose some of the meals for the week gets them excited and makes them an active participant in their healthy lifestyle.
Extra Tip!
If your kids can’t read the ingredients in their food, it probably isn’t a good option!
The food we put in our bodies affects us much more than we realize. Food takes up a large part of our lives, and it is important to realize that the food choices we make influence how we feel. You can create healthy habits with your kids early on that’ll help them to make those choices later on in life. Remember to take out before adding, make changes slowly, be smart while shopping, and get your kids to participate!
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