How to Teach Kids to Eat Healthy
I’m very passionate about healthy lifestyle because health is our health. Without our health, our life is not enjoyable, its suffering. Just think the last time you went to the doctor for a sick visit or had to go to urgent care/hospital…how did that make you feel? How do you feel when you see all other sick people around you and people with terminal diagnoses? It’s scary, I don’t want to be there and I believe you don’t want either. I know most of the people think they will start living a healthier life if they are going to be okay just this one time. Don’t take chances—start today!
Why do we as parents don’t prioritize healthy eating habits? Why do we say “my kid is a picky eater” or “they refuse to eat heathy food I give them” and eat chips [or insert any other junk food]. Who introduced them to this junk food? Remember that kids eat what you give them. Little kids don’t know what healthy is—they rely on and trust their parents that they are feeding them good food.
Type 2 Diabetes is on the rise
You know what is scary? The current Diabetes Type 2 (T2DM) rates in kids. It’s growing exponentially, and estimated 1 in 3 of new diagnoses in kids will be T2DM, which is for the most part a preventable disease. The main causes of T2DM are lack of exercise and obesity (and obesity comes from unhealthy diet, ultra processed foods, fast foods, lack of fruit and veggies).
That’s why I want to help you teach your kids to eat healthy—and this process will be different for each person depending where you start and depending how old your children are.
1. Educate yourself on what food is healthy and what food is not.
I give you an easy approach:
What is “healthy” food?
a. If it is a natural, whole food that comes from soil/nature/animals, it’s healthy. Think about fruit, veggies, chicken, rice, fish, beans, nuts, seeds, berries, potatoes—it’s good for you. Eat plenty of it.
What is “unhealthy” food?
b. If a food comes in a package with barcode and a long list of ingredients, and doesn’t occur in nature in that form, pass it.
Chips, baked goods, processed meats, like deli meats, cereals, snack bars, candy, soda, even juice. That’s the food that contributes to the obesity epidemic and doesn’t add nutritional value. This food is designed to make you crave it, make you addicted, so industry can make money off you.
If you still not sure the dangers of the ultra-processed foods, please check out these articles:
Ultra processed foods are linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. They will help you understand just how bad these foods for us.
2. Don’t bring unhealthy food into the house.
I know it’s VERY hard to resists all that processed, highly palatable food. That’s why the best way to avoid eating it is not bring it into the house. If it is not there, you won’t eat it.
3. Model the behavior to your kids.
Kids will eat what you eat. They won’t eat healthier if you aren’t the same. It starts with you.
4. Teach your children how the food that we eat impacts their health.
I’m sure many kids don’t know if they food they eat is good for them or not. Why? Because they trust their mom or dad loves them and takes care of them, therefore, must feed them the right food. A good opportunity to do that is during the family mealtime –if you don’t have that habit, please establish it now, as it is one of those key life habits that will contribute to a stronger family bond and will impact the quality of your relationship with your child/ren.
Example: When you serve dinner, tell you kids what you are eating and why you are eating it. We are eating fish, broccoli and potatoes today. Here’s your script:
How to talk about healthy food
“Food gives us energy and vitamins and minerals for our bodies to grow and to be stronger. Fish is good for our brain, it can make us smarter; veggies can help us poop easier, and potatoes give us energy so we can play at the playground/do sports.” (If you don’t know these things about foods you are eating, google it, you can educate yourself and your kids).
When my kids eat protein, I tell them it will make their muscle grow—I always emphasize being strong and healthy—and then when they eat their eggs or fish, they come running to me saying touch my muscles. It’s cute. It works.
b. Similarly, talk about why you are limiting the bad foods.
How to talk about unhealthy food
· “I know you like chips and cookies, but did you know they can make us unhealthy if we eat a lot of them? Chips can take away energy from you and make you feel tired, and make you feel like you don’t want to do anything?”
· “If you eat too much candy, it can impact your brain and your mood, and at first you may feel very energetic, but then that energy will run out and can make you feel tired and even sad?”
· “If you eat a lot of candy or cake or juice before bedtime, you may not be able to fall asleep.”
c. Leave room for dessert. Of course allow your kids to satisfy their sweet tooth or have a dessert after dinner. What’s important is that they eat their entire meal first, to feed their body and feel strong, and they can save a little room for dessert.
You shouldn’t eat a dessert after every meal nor every day.
Treat dessert as “a treat,” so the time to indulge will be a special time.
If you decide to give kids dessert during the week, make the desserts healthier. If they eat dessert on the weekend only, allow them to indulge into their favorite ice cream or cookie.
Healthy Dessert Ideas
Dark chocolate, fresh fruit or frozen berries (with or without whipped cream), pop-corn (not the microwavable bag kind—they are carcinogenic), or even greek yogurt with fruit.
5. Cereal is not food. Say not to cereal.
Please don’t give your children cereal in the morning. Cereal is sugar.
It will spikes their blood sugar, they have a temporary uptake in energy but then they “feel a crush,” decline in energy and a low mood. Cereal + milk==that’s a lot of sugar (lactose is a sugar in milk).
It is empty calories, i.e. sugar will not keep them full, and they will be hungry in an hour.
What’s a good breakfast idea?
A much better breakfast is a combination of protein + carbs + healthy fats. Protein and healthy fats will make their belly full for a longer period of time, and healthy carbs like whole grain toast or oats will give them study energy throughout the day without a crush. This type of breakfast will keep them full til lunch.
I know it’s hard to transition kids to healthy eating, especially if they have been eating cereal for too long. Here are a few options:
Froot Loops Ingridients
Take a look at the list: corn, wheat, sugar, processed oils and artificial dyes. These aren’t healthy.
Option 1 for little kids: “Mama learned that cereal is not very healthy for you as I thought, and I want you to be healthy and strong. I want you to start eating better foods and then give them two options: would you like to try X or Y?”
Option 2: “We will start eating less cereal. You can get cereal on Wed or Fridays only.” Be sure to the cereal is not fruit loops ,corn flakes or lucky charms with all those artificial colors as artificial dyes have been linked to disorders in kids (Source). Slowly transition to one day a week, and then none.
Artificial Food Dyes Cause Disease
Synthetic food dyes may cause adverse behavioral outcomes in children
p.s. I know there are some “healthier” version of cereals like fiber cereal or plain nut cheerios, that have less sugar and more fiber; yes they are better than fruit loops, but nonetheless, they are still processed foods). However, they can work as a replacement for sugary cereals, and then you transition them off it.
3. For older kids—you can have a slightly different conversation: “I learned that cereal is not good for your health. It can impact your behavior, your mood and make you more cranky. We have to start eating something different for breakfast. Can you help me with ideas on what you’d like to eat for breakfast?”
6. Give them healthy snacks.
Packaged snacks are easy, right? If you make their lunch for school, it’s a struggle already what to give them for lunch, and buying in bulk chips, fruit rolls, cookies, candy, etc is easy. However, realize that these are empty calories, meaning these snacks don’t have fiber or natural sugars to keep them going, to have enough energy to learn and pay attention at school.
Some good snack ideas are cheese sticks, nuts, seeds (I make my own trail mix with any nuts/some dried fruit and a few chocolate chips), seaweed, popcorn with fiber (not the microwavable one!) even granola bars on the healthier side (check the label to make sure sugar is not 1st or 2nd ingredients) as I know things can get pricey and its important. There are so many healthy recipes online.
Tips to implement changes
There are times when kids will refuse anything healthy you give them, and as a parent you may want to give up. You are also tired at the end of the day, and you just want them to eat and not be hungry. It’s a process. As parents, it’s our responsibility to take care of our kids & their health, and its starts in the kitchen.
Don’t expect an easy transition. It will be a battle with tears and refusal to eat. Take your time. If you kids have been eating more unhealthy foods for a while, the transition may be harder and slower.
Take small steps. You don’t have to take away all chips, candy, cookies at once. If your kids eats chips every day for snack, start by eliminating 1x/ week and replacing with something else, and so on.
Keep experimenting with food options until you find what you kids will enjoy.
Remember the why:
You want your kids to be healthy in the first Place (The cost is diabetes or other condition is way higher than the cost of healthy snack)
Raising healthy kids should be your priority, it should not be an afterthought.
You want your kids to know what healthy and what’s not, so they can make smart choices when you are not around, and ultimately, when they are young adults and beyond.
If you a parent to girls especially, it will help with their body image for life. If they know from the young age what food is good and bad for their health, they will learn how to make the right choices because they will know how it affects them, and hopefully they won’t struggle with weight gain or loss. And it definitely impacts their self-esteem.
Further Reading:
If you are like me and like to read books about health and science, here are a few terrific ones that I have learned alot from:
The Unhealthy Truth: One Mother’s Shocking Investigation into the danger’s of America’s food supply
Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia
The Obesity Code: Unlocking Secrets of Weight Loss by Dr. Jason Fung