As the new year begins, many families are contemplating resolutions, and for some, that involves making a commitment to healthier eating habits.
Performance dietitian Gabbie Ricky from Children’s Health Andrews Institute shared insight on how families can make these resolutions both effective and enjoyable for children.
“I’ve found that talking about the different benefits of eating the rainbow, as far as fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, helps children understand the importance of a diverse diet,” Ricky explained. “Helping them understand that more color equals more nutrient variety for them can be a fun way to introduce variety and encourage more diversity in their diet.”
Ricky emphasized the importance of involving children in setting goals and making the process enjoyable for them.
“Get the children’s input on how to reach goals,” she advised. “Keep it interesting and try something new as a family. Make it a game of ‘how many colors did you get today?’ Keep track of how many colors they have per meal, and that can be a fun way to introduce variety and encourage more variety.”
One of the key challenges for parents is making healthy eating fun and interesting for kids, especially if they are resistant to diversifying their diet. Ricky suggested involving kids in meal preparation to pique their interest.
“Helping around in the kitchen with you, or whoever is preparing the meals, teaching them those really important life skills, is gonna go a long way,” she said. “Making it a family effort is important to model healthy habits and behaviors as adults, because kids are watching.”
Many times we think about how having a good diet leads to health benefits for adults. But what does it do for kids?
“They’re in that growth and development phase, so it’s extremely important to get a variety of all those nutrients that are deposited into their bones, into their skeletal system, to help them grow and develop strong, healthy bones,” she emphasized. “More color equals more nutrient variety for children, setting up a healthy, strong foundation for their future.”
When it comes to making food swaps for a more nutritious diet, Ricky recommended creative alternatives to common sugary snacks.
“Instead of sugary sweetened beverages, find something like a carbonated drink or splashing some 100% fruit juice into carbonated water,” she suggested. “Fruit infused water bottles can be visually appealing for children, and you can include some of that visual appeal in their hydration as well.”
Ricky also addressed the importance of reimagining snack options and making healthier choices while ensuring kids still enjoy what they eat.
“Another swap could be swapping potato chips for something with a little more fiber, like popcorn,” she said. “Adding some dark chocolate chips or seasoning to the popcorn can make it a fun and healthy snack option for the kids.”
The performance dietitian noted that communication and positivity around food and health are crucial for shaping children’s attitudes and behaviors.
“Approach it with more of a fun lens when you’re involving the kids and making it a family effort,” Ricky advised. “It’s important to model healthy habits and behaviors as adults, because kids are paying close attention to what you do, and even the things that you say and how you talk about food and your health.”
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