Healthy Eating Beyond the Home: Setting the HabitIn a previous article, healthy eating at restaurants was discussed. Showing your children how to choose healthy foods when eating out at restaurants, whether traditional or fast food sets a good example for healthy eating. It shows your children that you are very serious about healthy eating and that it is a lifestyle for your family. Staying consistent in your food choices will encourage your child to stay consistent in theirs as well. Always choose the healthy option and encourage your children to do the same whenever you find yourselves outside of your home. This helps set the habit beyond the home. Many times children eat healthily whenever they're home, and then begin to make unhealthy choices when they are away. While a part of this is due to peer pressure, some children may still not gravitate towards healthy food when they are outside of their home, or they may be confused as to what healthy eating would be when they are away from home. Whenever you go out with your children, even if it's just to run a quick errand at the mall, point out the healthy eating options available so that they can keep these in mind when they're out with their friends or not with you. Eating out doesn't mean just eating at restaurants or fast food places. Your children will also be invited to parties, and you should teach them how to make healthy choices there, too. When you're at a friend's house or a party with your children, you may not have a choice with what to eat. Actually, it is only polite to eat whatever is served. If the hosts are serving a buffet, go through it with your children and tell them what the healthy choices are if they don't know them already. If it's a formal sit down, be polite and eat everything put in front of you. Don't pick food out, and tell your children that this is one of the exceptions to healthy eating. Don't ask for special treatment just so you can eat healthily, as it is rude to ask for something that wasn't prepared or offered. For parties that you won't get to go to, create a list of possible party foods and discuss it with your kids. Do this passively so they don't think you're obsessing over healthy eating too much. They will especially think this if they are teenagers. Mention casually that they should go for the home cooked chicken rather than the pizza delivery. If you truly have no choice, like in served or plated dinners or if no healthy option is offered, go ahead and just enjoy yourself, and tell your children to do the same. It's not going to kill you or your children to be unhealthy just for one occasion every now and again. |
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How To Get Your Kids To Eat Healthy Food - Without A Fight!
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