By Marjorie E. Nolan, MS, RD, LD, CPT

Creating a Healthy Home can be easier than you think.

Creating a nutritionally healthy home is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure the health of your child. To start, make smart food choices, and help your child develop a positive relationship with healthy food. Your children will learn their food smarts from your example.

Here are the top 10 tips for getting children to eat healthy food:

1. Do not restrict food. Restricting food increases the risk your child may develop eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia later in life. It can also have a negative effect on growth and development.

2. Keep healthy food at hand. Children will eat whats readily available. Keep fruit in a bowl on the counter, not buried in the crisper section of your fridge. Remember, your child can only choose foods that you stock in the house.

3. Dont label foods as 'good' or 'bad.' Instead, tie foods to the things your child cares about, such as sports, academics and hobbies. Let your child know that lean protein such as turkey and calcium in dairy products give strength to their sports and academic performance. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables add luster to skin and hair.

4. Praise healthy choices. Give your children a proud smile and tell them how smart they are when they choose healthy foods.

5. Dont nag about unhealthy choices. If your child chooses unhealthy foods infrequently, ignore it. However, if your child always wants fatty, fried food, redirect the choice. You might try roasting potato sticks in the oven (tossed in just a bit of oil) instead of buying french fries. Or, if your child wants candy, you might make fresh strawberries dipped in a little chocolate sauce. Too busy? Then keep naturally sweet dried fruit at home for quick snacks.

6. Never use food as a reward. This could create weight problems in later life. Instead, reward your children with something physical and fun — perhaps a trip to the park or a quick game of catch.

7. Sit down to family dinners at night. If this isnt a tradition in your home, it should be. Research shows that children who eat dinners at the table with their parents have better nutrition and are less likely to get in serious trouble as teenagers. Start with one night a week, and then work up to three or four, to gradually build the habit.

8. Prepare plates in the kitchen. There you can put healthy portions of each item on everyones dinner plate. Your children will learn to recognize correct portion sizes. And you may find your slacks fit better as well!

9. Give the kids some control. Ask your children to take three bites of all the foods on their plate and give it a grade, such as A, B, C, D, or F. When healthy foods - especially certain vegetables — get high marks, serve them more often. Offer the items your children dont like less frequently. This lets your children participate in decision making. After all, dining is a family affair.

10. Consult your pediatrician. Always talk with your childs doctor before putting your child on a diet, trying to help your child gain weight, or making any significant changes in the type of foods your child eats. Never diagnose your child as too heavy, or too thin, by yourself. If weight change is recommended seek the help of a Dietitian.

Marjorie E. Nolan is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Personal Trainer. Marjorie offers expertise advice and counseling on child and adolescence weight loss and healthy lifestyle coaching for the entire family. For free tips to learn how you and your family can lose weight and keep it off visit Marjorie at www.NoDiet4Kids.com

By Marjorie E. Nolan, MS, RD, LD, CPT

Creating a Healthy Home can be easier than you think.

Creating a nutritionally healthy home is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure the health of your child. To start, make smart food choices, and help your child develop a positive relationship with healthy food. Your children will learn their food smarts from your example.

Here are the top 10 tips for getting children to eat healthy food:

1. Do not restrict food. Restricting food increases the risk your child may develop eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia later in life. It can also have a negative effect on growth and development.

2. Keep healthy food at hand. Children will eat whats readily available. Keep fruit in a bowl on the counter, not buried in the crisper section of your fridge. Remember, your child can only choose foods that you stock in the house.

3. Dont label foods as 'good' or 'bad.' Instead, tie foods to the things your child cares about, such as sports, academics and hobbies. Let your child know that lean protein such as turkey and calcium in dairy products give strength to their sports and academic performance. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables add luster to skin and hair.

4. Praise healthy choices. Give your children a proud smile and tell them how smart they are when they choose healthy foods.

5. Dont nag about unhealthy choices. If your child chooses unhealthy foods infrequently, ignore it. However, if your child always wants fatty, fried food, redirect the choice. You might try roasting potato sticks in the oven (tossed in just a bit of oil) instead of buying french fries. Or, if your child wants candy, you might make fresh strawberries dipped in a little chocolate sauce. Too busy? Then keep naturally sweet dried fruit at home for quick snacks.

6. Never use food as a reward. This could create weight problems in later life. Instead, reward your children with something physical and fun — perhaps a trip to the park or a quick game of catch.

7. Sit down to family dinners at night. If this isnt a tradition in your home, it should be. Research shows that children who eat dinners at the table with their parents have better nutrition and are less likely to get in serious trouble as teenagers. Start with one night a week, and then work up to three or four, to gradually build the habit.

8. Prepare plates in the kitchen. There you can put healthy portions of each item on everyones dinner plate. Your children will learn to recognize correct portion sizes. And you may find your slacks fit better as well!

9. Give the kids some control. Ask your children to take three bites of all the foods on their plate and give it a grade, such as A, B, C, D, or F. When healthy foods - especially certain vegetables — get high marks, serve them more often. Offer the items your children dont like less frequently. This lets your children participate in decision making. After all, dining is a family affair.

10. Consult your pediatrician. Always talk with your childs doctor before putting your child on a diet, trying to help your child gain weight, or making any significant changes in the type of foods your child eats. Never diagnose your child as too heavy, or too thin, by yourself. If weight change is recommended seek the help of a Dietitian.

Marjorie E. Nolan is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Personal Trainer. Marjorie offers expertise advice and counseling on child and adolescence weight loss and healthy lifestyle coaching for the entire family. For free tips to learn how you and your family can lose weight and keep it off visit Marjorie at www.NoDiet4Kids.com

By Clive Jenkins

Children, among others, are the ones needing the most proper nutrition for their growth and development. This is where healthy eating for kids comes in. Every parent wants to provide his or her children the kind of nutrition that truly nourishes. Only, this could also be a tough undertaking.

Giving children the right amount of nutrients their bodies need is pretty a tough task for parents since kids are hard to feed. They are usually picky when it comes to food. Most of the time, you would have to force the food into their mouths just to make sure they eat what is served to them.

How should parents implement healthy eating for kids in a less forceful way? Of course, you definitely must not give in to what your child asks. Healthy eating comes with discipline. It is not something that you should just impose. It is not something that happens overtime. You have to find a way for them to appreciate the wonderful things healthy food can do to their bodies. The best time to start this is as soon as your child starts to take in solid food.

The earlier you introduce them to healthy diet, the more they become accustomed to eating foods that give them the right amount of nutrients. If you spoil them by giving in to what they are requesting to eat, they will surely not eat what they should.

Make sure that they eat a variety of food. Do not serve them the same menu over and over. Let them try different foods so they will become acquainted to all food groups. Include grains, vegetables, fruits, meats and dairies in their diet. Grains are important source of fiber. The more fiber you include in their diet, the lesser the chance they will become obese.

Although, kids naturally do not like vegetables, there is no other way but to prod them. They need three to five servings of vegetables in their daily diet. How do you entice them to eat vegetables? One way is to show them that you enjoy eating vegetables yourself. Be their role model. You must always serve vegetables every meal so they will develop the liking for vegetables in stead of serving them nuggets or chicken pops frequently.

Since, kids also less appreciate fruits; you should also start making them available to children at an early age if you want them to practice healthy eating. Serve them fruits in stead of chips or French fries for snacks. Eventually, they will develop the habit and it will no longer be a chore for you to get them to eat healthy.

Once you start getting them into a good practice of eating nutritious food, it will become less challenging for you to teach your child healthy eating habit. Basically, it is just how you present the food. Think of ways how they can find eating vegetables and fruits enjoyable. Again, starting early is the best and sure way to do this. Serve them a balance diet and as much as possible offer them a variety of food to choose from.

 

Clive Jenkins is an expert author on Weight Loss And Diet Programs. To get up to date news, information, Reports, Tips and weight loss help, please visit Slimmer's Paradise Today http://slimmersparadise.com