How to develop good eating habits in kids?

Hello mommies! I know a lot of you want to know how to instil healthy eating habits in kids. So, today I’ll be sharing some tips from my experience with you all. When Nemit was about 6 months old and it was time to introduce solids to him, I joined a couple of Facebook groups to learn the right techniques of weaning. I got to know about the traditional and baby-led weaning.

And the message that these groups were imparting was giving only healthy nutritious food to the baby. And, because my thoughts were in line with them, I succeeded in following the same for Nemit.

I know right now you must be having a lot of questions. That’s why I am listing down a few tips below which I followed to develop good eating habits in Nemit. Let’s understand a little about nutritious food. In simple words, food consisting of all the essential nutrients is nutritious. But, there is no single food which has all the nutrients.

Human body requires seven major types of nutrients.¹

(Protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamin, mineral, fibre and water)

Now, to get these nutrients in balanced quantity, a child should eat from different food groups.

Check out the VIDEO to understand the food groups better

PediaSure | Expert Videos | Episode 2- Food Groups

As per my recommendation, PediaSure is a good choice to provide complete, balanced nutrition if you’re not sure your kids are getting enough of the nutrients they need from regular food.²

4 Tips to develop good eating habits in kids early on in life

1. Start early and don’t give up.

Starting solids for the baby is fun but as the baby grows, meal times become a task. Many times I wanted to choose the easier way out but I somehow knew my efforts would pay off someday. I learned to make interesting finger foods for him to encourage eating on his own. Later, I started involving him in meal preparation. It helped him in understanding his food. Check out these creative recipes made with PediaSure that you can prepare together with your child.

2. Follow a feeding schedule.

I started following a feeding schedule for Nemit from an early age. And we are still sticking to it. It really helps in keeping a note on how much and what all he ate in a day. And, this makes it easier to plan the meals and include all the food groups in his diet.

3. Eat together and eat the same food.

Before Nemit joined playschool, we used to eat all 3 meals together. You may introduce family food (sans salt and sugar) to your baby at 7-8 months. I would strap him in his booster chair and put a spoonful of food in his tray. He would play with it for a few secs & then watch me eat and follow. Kids learn a lot from their parents, so set a good example by following good food habits.

4. No screens while eating.

You will get tempted a lot to use that 30 mins of mealtime for yourself. And, you would want to replace eating together time with screen time. Please don’t do that! Once your child will get used to the screen, he will not leave it. Initially, you won’t understand the impact it will cause on the baby’s brain but there will be an impact on his development.

It’s just a matter of a few years, but good habits go a long way. And, trust me, you will be so proud of yourself when you will see your child is growing right.

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In case, you are wondering if it’s too late to develop good habits because your child is past baby and toddler age, no, it’s never too late! It may take a little more effort but it’s still possible. Just say no to unhealthy junk food or any bad habits like a distraction while eating. If your child is a fussy eater, you may check with your pediatrician for guidance. The nutritional supplement like PediaSure is recommended by doctors for picky eaters. It consists of 37 vital nutrients from all the food groups for a child’s overall development.

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Reference:

• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/160774.php
• https://pediasure.com/child-development-nutrition/5-food-groups-kids

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This is a sponsored post, however, all opinions are that of the author.