What Small Changes Help Growing Child to Maintain Healthy Lifestyle ?

Children in modern times prefer to eat a lot of junk food like burgers, French fries, colas, pizzas, pasta and many more. The media also promote these habits as ‘cool’- which does not help! As parents, it is our responsibility to make a positive change in our children’s lifestyles.

What is Nutrition And Balanced Diet?

In simple words, nutrition is the process of taking the required food necessary for healthy growth. The balanced diet is a diet that comprises of different food groups that offer an adequate amount of nutrients essential for healthy growth.

Why Is It Important to Teach Child About Nutrition?

It is important to teach your child about nutrition as the sedentary lifestyle and eating junk food at a young age leads to childhood obesity, which is difficult to tackle. Obesity leads to a number of chronic diseases like diabetes, or polycystic ovarian disease in girls. What causes an unhealthy lifestyle among children - lack of healthy dietary habits, a sedentary lifestyle with no games, sports, physical activity and high-stress levels caused by academics and/or peer pressure.

We as parents need to help our children maintain a balance between their academic and extracurricular activities, which must be inculcated from the initial years. Let your child play, explore and study.it is important for us to understand that each child is unique and special. Every child should eat a balanced diet which should include a proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

What Small Changes Help In Maintaining Healthy Lifestyle?

Making a few small changes will surely go a long way, so here are some easy suggestions for helping your children maintain a healthy lifestyle.

1. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day: So give your child milk with a fruit like banana for breakfast, children usually love this combination or just give some dates along with milk, as this will give help increase energy levels and keep them active. You could also give them Poha, idli, upma, egg burji, omelette, aloo paratha -and no wafers, pasta, or noodles
2. Lunch should ideally be roti, vegetables, rice, dal, curd: A fruit in afternoon or evening and nuts like almonds and walnuts. Dinner should be roti, bhaji green leafy vegetables like spinach. At night, try giving them warm milk with turmeric
3. Encourage healthy snacking: Nowadays the shops are full of healthy snack options like nuts, dry fruits, roasted makhanas etc. Keep your home stocked with these instead of unhealthy chips or fried foods
4. Allow your children to indulge too: Perhaps once a week they could go out for burgers and colas or pizza. Making this a family outing could be fun too!
5. Try experimenting with homemade pizzas and hamburgers: You could make a healthy whole-wheat pizza base, or homemade vegetarian or non-vegetarian hamburger patties. Your older child could join in and make it a fun kitchen activity for you to do together!

Remember balance is the key! We should try not being too forceful with our children and help them understand the value of healthy eating and healthy living.

Did you find Kavita’s blog on food and nutrition useful? How do you help your child maintain a healthy lifestyle? Do leave your comments…. We love hearing from you!