|
......Giving
a healthy start to your child lies in the hands of parents.
Healthy food choices and an activity oriented life style can
be taught to little kids. It just takes a little time, effort,
thoughtfulness and patience to create a win- win situation
by putting health and nutrition top on your and your child's
priority list. Below given points will help you to some extent.
•
Good foods promote health and growth; they give energy
for play and learning. But after age one, children grow more
slowly and may eat less; what they eat and not how much is
important.
• Give them a variety of wholesome
foods to encourage healthy food habits. For e.g., don't lay
too much stress on milk at the cost of other foods.
• Serve meals and snacks at regular
times and in a calm atmosphere.
• Remember, it is normal for a child
to refuse a certain food from time to time, try the food again
another day.
• Since children immitate those around
them. Make sure your eating habits are a good example.
• Too much food is discouraging. Serve
child - size portions for child's appetite.
• Be sure that snacks are nutritious
and simple.
• Start each day with a good breakfast.
• Buy and cook healthful food.
• Let children make their own food
choices from the good choices you provide.
• Avoid serving and buying highly
processed and junk foods that are loaded with fat, sugar,
salt and addictives.
• Decrease the intake of fat - Serve
low fat milk and its products; serve more fish and poultry
rather than red meats. Limit the number of eggs to 3 per week.
Avoid excessive use of fried foods, ghee, and butter in meals
or snacks.
• Use sugar in moderation The major
threat of sugar is dental cares. Limit the amount of sweets
you buy. Limit low much sweet are eaten. Allow sweets or desserts
once in a while after a well-balanced meal. Discourage sweets
for snacks. Do not allow indulgence of soft drinks and sherbets.
Insist that teeth are brushed after sweets are eaten. Instead
serve fruits/dry fruits for snacks and desserts. Encourage
eating fruits/juices without sugar, honey and cream.
• Ignore your child's requests for
frequent snacks.
• Turn off the TV/ computer at mealtime.
• Introduce exercise or any physical
activity into your child's life.
|
