Have you decided to take control of your weight loss journey with the help of a LAP-BAND, gastric bypass, ORBERA gastric balloon, or sleeve gastrectomy? If so, chances are good you’ve struggled with excess weight for many years. By learning about healthy eating for kids, you can help reduce the chances that your children will also be overweight. You’ll also be able to share some tasty, family-friendly meals with everyone in your household!
Here are some tips on how to help promote healthy eating habits among the little ones in your life:
Make Exploring Healthy Foods an Adventure
Tired of serving the same old fruits and vegetables to your family? Why not explore some new and exciting options with your kids?
You can switch up your menu by encouraging your kids to choose a different item from the produce department each week, and helping them learn how to prepare it. There’s lots of online how-to guides to show you simple ways to make fruits and veggies fun and tasty.
This can be a good way to encourage kids to try new things without overwhelming them with major dietary changes all at once. You might even discover a few new food items that you like as well!
Stick to a Schedule
By now you’ve already learned why eating on a schedule helps prevent major spikes and drops in your blood sugar, and the same holds true for your kids. Healthy eating for kids means eating meals and snack at the same time – every single day.
Children like structure, and eating on a schedule helps to make your household run smoother. An eating schedule can also minimize sugar cravings, temper tantrums, and other behavioral issues related to hunger and blood sugar variations in your children.
Make Meals That Everyone Enjoys
It can be tempting to prepare special, separate meals for each of your children, but this makes a lot of work for you. Remember, your kitchen isn’t a restaurant!
Aim to make family-friendly, healthy meals that everybody can enjoy – that way, your kids won’t see plates filled with high-quality lean protein and veggies as ‘diet food’, they’ll accept healthy eating as ‘normal’.
Make Kids a Part Of Meal Prep
Cooking is an important life skill that every child should learn. Kids usually jump at the chance to participate in meal planning and preparation, so try to make cooking a family affair.
Encouraging your children to help out in the kitchen helps boost their confidence and increases their interest in what everyone is eating. Search online for simple kid-friendly recipes, or check your local library for children’s cookbooks.
Involving kids in the kitchen also makes it more likely that your kids will be open to eating healthy foods they might otherwise turn their noses up – things like unfamiliar vegetables, or chicken fingers that are baked instead of fried.
For More Information
To learn more about promoting healthy eating for kids in your home, and for support with your post-surgical diet plan, contact us here at Destination Weight Loss.
