Helping Your Family Eat Healthier

Being healthier is something that was likely on your family’s New Year’s Resolutions list. We all know that we should be eating less junk food, eating more “healthy” food, and getting more exercise, but it can be difficult to carry out these ideas in our day to day lives. To help your family eat healthier and make these changes, we’ve gathered a few helpful tips below!

1.  Make sure they eat breakfast

Breakfast isn’t called “the most important meal of the day” for no reason! A healthy breakfast will give your kids the fuel they need to have a good day and stay full until lunchtime. Some examples of filling breakfast foods are: whole grain overnight oats, scrambled eggs, a bagel with cream cheese and a fruit smoothie, fiber-rich breakfast cereal, and so on. The best part? Many of these can be prepped the night before so you only have to spend a few minutes in the morning.

2. Get them moving!

According to the CDC, “children and adolescents should do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity each day.” Luckily, kids can do this while playing and having fun so that it does not seem like a chore. This can include taking them to a playground, a sports practice, or even just playing tag around the house. If the cold and snow prevents your family from going outside, here is a list of fun indoor activities to keep them moving during the winter months.

3. Serve fruits and vegetables at every meal

A quick way to sneak in all of their servings of fruit and veggies for the day is to make sure that at every meal and snack time, at least one fruit or vegetable is offered. If it’s not part of the dish, offer it as an accompaniment. This way, the servings are spread out throughout the day and there is no pressure to cram all of them into one meal.

4. Drink water or milk over juice and soda.

The best beverages for children are water and milk. Although your kids may prefer juice and soda, they are typically highly caloric and overflowing with added sugars and chemicals that provide no nutritional benefit. Water and milk are a much healthier option and just as delicious! If you’re looking for more flavor, try fruit infused water.

5. Allow kids to be a part of the decision

While it is ultimately your decision what your children will eat, giving them options will empower them and make them feel like their opinion matters. An easy way to do this is to offer two choices of vegetables for dinner and allowing them to choose one. Alternatively, you can ask them if they would prefer to have apples or grapes for snack. Although simple, this shows them that you value their input and will make them more willing to eat their fruits and vegetables!

Amanda De Moraes

Boston Tutoring Services