Healthy Eating Habits: Kindle the Interest of your Children

Talk with your children about healthy eating

A perfect time to talk about healthy eating is while you are preparing meals or having dinner together as a family. You may discover that your children have a lot of questions! They really do want you to teach them what healthy eating is all about, so take advantage of this opportunity to make it part of the conversation.

Be a healthy role model

Remember, your children are watching so “walk the talk!” That is why it is so important that you make healthy choices in your own life to set a good example for your family. After all, you are their role model!

It’s easy to make nutritious food choices

Have ready-to-eat balanced snacks in your fridge for children to easily grab and go. Examples include:

• hummus and cut-up veggies;
• yogurt and cut-up fruit;
• cheese and crackers;
• hard boiled eggs.

Be sure to include healthy choices in your family meals too, such as a variety of veggies or fruit; milk; whole-grain rice, pasta or bread; lean meats; legumes; and fish.

Pressed for time? Take a healthy shortcut by combining fresh foods with prepared convenience foods, such as adding your own vegetables and rice to a store-bought barbecue chicken. Or save time by using pre-washed packaged salads, bottled lower-sodium pasta sauces or prepackaged shredded cheese.

Let your children help

Involve your children in family meals. Planning meals, shopping for groceries, and preparing food at home can help them learn to love food and cooking! Let each family member choose their favourite meals once in a while, take your children along for the food shopping when you can, and let them take on some of the tasks in preparing the meals. They will feel involved and will likely be more interested in everything to do with healthy eating!