By Admin,
Do you want your young one to grow up healthy? Healthy eating is paramount for everyone, especially babies. Continue reading to learn the ways of promoting healthy eating habits in babies.
Babies are known to be super selective when it comes to meals. However, they are also not known to be born with a craving for unhealthy foods like junk foods. As you expose your child to unhealthy foods, he/she will be conditioned to like those foods and prefer them more than others. So as a parent or caregiver, you have to know how to make them eat healthily. Healthy eating habits in babies should start as early as six months old to guarantee a healthy lifestyle
According to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, there are foods that young children should eat to live a healthy life. These foods include: different colored vegetables and fruits, whole grains or food rich in fiber, leans meats, fish, nuts, and beans, milk, yogurt, and cheese. The guide also includes encouraging children to drink plenty of water.
Involve Your Baby in Meal Preparation
To promote healthy eating habits in babies, you should focus on involving your child in preparing meals. Start by making simple meals for lunch and have them participate in it. When the baby feels included in the preparation of healthy baby food, he/she will be more interested in healthy foods.
Don’t Use Foods as a Reward or Punishments
As a parent, you may be prompted to punish your child due to a mistake done. But most often than not, the punishment used can harm the child. Withholding or rewarding a child with food is an example. Giving your child pizza as a reward for something is not healthy for them. A child may assume that such food is essential. Telling your child that if they finish their foods(vegetables), they will get a new dessert that will give them a wrong understanding of vegetables.
Similarly, punishing your child by denying them food will prompt them to hide unhealthy foods in their rooms. Or they may eat more than they can whenever they get the chance.
Prohibit Eating While Watching Television
Meals time should be strictly for mealtime. Ensure the television is switched off and that the baby pays attention to his/her food. When you eat while watching TV, your mind may find it difficult to register the feeling of fullness. This will then prompt you to eat more. The same applies to children, so it is best to encourage your child to eat fist then watch television later.
Snacking
Plan for healthy snacks eating. Children can munch on anything at any time because of hunger. Nonetheless, when there is a clear plan on when and what they are supposed to eat, they will be more likely to eat healthily. For instance, you can have healthy snacks consisting of fruits or vegetables and yogurt. You should also keep these foods at arm’s length to ensure the babies can reach them when hungry. Even when they go for slumber parties, park some healthy snacks for them to go.
Be a Role Model to Your Child
Asking your baby to eat healthy while you are eating unhealthy will not work. Babies learn by imitation. So if you choose to eat pizza every day, your child will not see that as a bad thing.
Final Word
Healthy eating habits in babies should be encouraged when children are as young as six months old. Healthy foods include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, milk, and yogurt, among others. To encourage your child to eat healthily, you need to come up with a plan. These plans should include healthy snacking, encourage eating as a family is a role model among others
