help kids choose health

Jenny · 03-02-2008, 12:35 AM

Want your kids to eat right? Get them involved in developing healthy eating habits with these tips from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases:

Plan healthy meals together as a family, use the time to teach nutrition basics, and let children have some say in what healthy options you'll serve.
Buy and serve more fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables. Let kids be involved in choosing which ones to get at the store. They'll be more likely to eat foods they helped pick out!
Don't automatically assume your child doesn't like a new food, like green beans, if he or she doesn't eat it when first offered. It can take up to 10 exposures for a child to accept a new food. Don't pressure them to eat the new food — just continue to offer it. Chances are, once it becomes familiar, they'll give it a try.
Offer a variety of healthy options instead of "junk foods." It's easier for your child to develop a taste for snacks like milk, string cheese, apples, carrots, and the like if they aren't tempted by the candy, chips, and cookies in the cupboard!

03-02-2008, 12:35 AM	#1 (permalink)
Jenny Lieutenant Colonel Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 2,931	help kids choose health Want your kids to eat right? Get them involved in developing healthy eating habits with these tips from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Plan healthy meals together as a family, use the time to teach nutrition basics, and let children have some say in what healthy options you'll serve. Buy and serve more fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables. Let kids be involved in choosing which ones to get at the store. They'll be more likely to eat foods they helped pick out! Don't automatically assume your child doesn't like a new food, like green beans, if he or she doesn't eat it when first offered. It can take up to 10 exposures for a child to accept a new food. Don't pressure them to eat the new food — just continue to offer it. Chances are, once it becomes familiar, they'll give it a try. Offer a variety of healthy options instead of "junk foods." It's easier for your child to develop a taste for snacks like milk, string cheese, apples, carrots, and the like if they aren't tempted by the candy, chips, and cookies in the cupboard! __________________ www.jensdiet.com