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Inculcating a balanced diet for your child

Team AckoFeb 8, 2024

At times a child can be quite fussy in his eating habits. Worry not since this is a normal thing because most kids at this age are not very happy eaters. But, this habit should be changed gradually to make your kid enjoy the food. With your love and care, the fast-growing little one will understand the value of food. You need to also discuss the importance of certain foods that make your child’s body healthy and strong.

Contents

Ways to inculcate a balanced diet for your child

1. Eat meals together

Always sit with your child and eat your meals together if you wish to change his eating habits. Your child will learn the most from you and when he will see you relishing the meal, he will definitely go for the food that is laid in front of him. Give him less portion to eat if you know that he doesn’t like something. Let your child eat slowly as it is a good habit and this also helps in digestion of the food in a better way. Eating with family and eating alone makes a lot of difference to a child. So, make sure that your child is not eating alone during his mealtime.

2. Give small portions to eat

Always give your child small portions to eat and never a platter full of unhealthy things. When we feel hungry, our insulin drops and our body needs glucose at a faster rate. So, the best way is to give your child something healthy to eat, like dry fruits, fruits, yogurt, whole wheat crackers, and so on. You can also show him the label of the food or snack he wants to munch on to show the nutritional value of the same.

3. Stop force-feeding immediately

Eating very little will make your child deficit in nutrients and vitamins but that doesn’t mean that he should be forced to eat every now and then. Give a variety to your child when he is in a need to eat food. Give him a healthy choice of fruits, nuts, cereals, yogurt, and fresh juice. Salads and vegetable sandwiches are also good options to keep your child full. Give him something to eat every 2-3 hours and do not force him if he doesn’t want to eat. Force-feeding is one of the biggest blunders you can commit to ruin his appetite.

4. Healthy cooking

Junk food should be a complete no-no for your child right from the beginning. This will help him develop a habit of healthy eating. There would be times when your child might come and tell you that his friend’s mom allows him to eat some junk food, then why are you being so difficult? Before such a scenario arises, surprise your child by making otherwise junk foods like pizza, chow-chow, etc. the healthy way at home.

Grandma’s Tip: Like most children, if your child loves pizza, you can turn it into a healthier one by preparing it at home. Use a pizza base that is made from whole wheat and fresh veggies of your kid’s choice. Involve your child in preparing the pizza with you and tell him to choose veggies for himself that will go on the top of the pizza.

You can also prepare snacks in the microwave with a baking option rather than deep frying them in oil. This way, healthy eating will be included in your daily routine and your child will learn a lot from it.

5. Make green veggies FUN!

Kids just run away from green vegetables but the best way to make green veggies their friend is by including these veggies in burgers, wraps, sandwiches, tikkis, salads, and chips as well. This will change the perspective of your child towards the green vegetables and with such an option available, he will not have any problem in accepting the veggies as his best buddies.

6. Take your kid along for grocery shopping

Let him choose the vegetable for himself and then you can always discuss the nutritional value and health benefits of that vegetable with your child. You can also talk about the cons of not eating vegetables and how sick one can get without them. Before preparing the vegetable, indulge your child in preparing that vegetable with you. He can help with the spices and other additional veggies that are added to it for the flavor. He will start acknowledging the food and be friendly towards these veggies.

7. Add fruits to the diet

Make your child fruit-friendly as fruits being loaded with vitamins, iron, and fiber, add a lot of nutritional value to the body. They are juicy and very healthy for your child’s body and also boost the immunity. Add different colors of fruits to your child’s plate, making it visually appealing for your child to get tempted to eat them all!

8. Never put your child on a diet

If your child is slightly overweight then never try to put him on diet and make him conscious of his weight. Leave him on his own and indulge him into healthy eating and avoid eatables from outside, colas, junk food and fried food for controlling his weight. Increase his physical activity and let him go out and play with his friends instead of sticking to the screen of mobile or TV.

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Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only, based on industry experience and secondary sources. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified expert for health or insurance-related decisions. Content is subject to change, refer to current policy wordings for specific ACKO details.

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