How To Help Kids Be Conscious Of What They Eat

It's Navratri time in India, it spans over nine nights (and ten days). Navratri symbolizes 9 days of fasting and people do choose fast as per their comfort. While many observe fast for nine days, and some prefer to fast in the last two days of the Navratri, some people only have water, some eat fruits and others only eat one meal a day.

I took this opportunity to eat my meals once a day, and I started noticing changes in my body and food habits. The first change was that I was not as hungry as before, and the second was that I became more conscious of what I ate. It is said that when you fast, your senses become more acute and you can taste the food better.

I started thinking about the food I ate and how it affected my body. I became more aware of the fact that the food we eat has a direct impact on our health and well-being. I also started paying attention to the way I felt after eating certain foods.

I realized that when I ate processed foods, I felt sluggish and my energy levels were low. On the other hand, when I ate fresh and healthy foods, I felt more energetic and my skin looked better.

This made me realize that we need to be more conscious of the food we eat and its impact on our health. I believe that if we can teach our children to be more aware of their food habits, it will help them in the long run.

Children are never told about the importance of healthy eating habits. They are not taught about the different food groups and their nutrient value. As a result, they grow up with very little knowledge about nutrition and its importance.

This lack of awareness can lead to many problems in later life such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, etc.

Children tend to binge on junk food and sugary drinks because they taste good. However, they are not aware of the fact that these foods are harmful to their health.

My son always tells me how much he has overconsumed a particular thing on some days, I feel happy that at least he is conscious and aware of it. This gives me hope that he will be more careful in the future.

Here are a few tips that can help you in teaching your kids about healthy eating habits:

1. Talk to your kids about the importance of healthy eating habits and explain to them how it can impact their health in the long run.

We talk about what's on our plate, where it came from, the colors smell, and tastes. This gives him a better understanding of the food he's eating and its impact on his body.

2. Involve your kids in meal planning and cooking. This will help them understand the importance of healthy eating and they will be more likely to eat healthy foods.

Adi loves to cook and help me in the kitchen, he is curious about how certain things are cooked and he understands how much time it takes to cook.

3. Take your kids shopping with you and let them choose healthy foods that they would like to eat.

play a game where you can go shopping for kids but can buy/eat only healthy food items. This will help them in distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy foods.

4. Encourage your kids to eat slowly and savor their food. This will help them in understanding the concept of portion control and they will be less likely to overeat.

Also, food should never be rushed into their mouth, it should be chewed slowly so that the body can register when it is full. But unfortunately, kids are forced to eat and often asked to eat faster.

5. Encourage your kids to be active and engage in physical activity regularly. This will help them in burning off the extra calories and they will be less likely to indulge in unhealthy foods.

We try to go out for a family walk, cycle, or even play some games together which makes it fun and interactive for the kids.

6. Teach your kids to listen to their bodies and eat only when they are hungry. This will help them in avoiding emotional eating and they will learn to control their food intake.

some Adi confuses being thirsty with being hungry and ends up overeating. So we try and make him drink water first and then see if he is actually hungry.

7. Help your kids to develop a positive relationship with food. Teach them that food is meant to nourish their bodies and not to be used as a means of comfort.

There should never be any type of emotional attachment to food. Eating should be done when one is hungry and not out of stress, boredom, or for any other reason.

8. Make mealtime a family affair and eat together as often as possible. This will help your kids learn healthy eating habits by observing you.

Food should be given importance and not taken for granted. Kids should be taught that eating is a time to bond with family and friends and not just something to do to fill their stomachs.

9. Lead by example and eat healthy foods yourself. Your kids are more likely to eat healthy foods if they see you eating them.

You can always be snacking on junk and then expect them to eat healthily. So it starts with the parents being more conscious about what they are eating.

10. Be patient and help your kids slowly transition to healthier foods. This will help them in making the switch without feeling overwhelmed or frustrated.

11. Teach them to read food labels and explain to them what the different terms on the label mean.

My son and read the ingredients together, and he was very surprised to learn that some of the foods he thought were healthy, actually contained a lot of sugar and unhealthy fats.

The simple reason to incorporate consciousness while eating is to be aware of their food habits and also learn to control their urges. Emotional eating should be avoided and one must learn to control binge eating.

One of the best ways to help your kids develop healthy eating habits is to aad by example. If you eat healthy foods yourself, your kids are more likely to do the same. So, make sure to eat healthy meals together as a family and encourage your kids to eat a variety of nutritious foods.

This definitely does not mean forcing kids to eat healthy foods or punishing them for eating unhealthy foods. Instead, it is about teaching them the importance of healthy eating and letting them make their own choices. With these tips, you can definitely help your kids develop healthy eating habits.

If we can teach our kids about healthy eating habits from an early age, it will go a long way in ensuring their good health in the future. So, let’s make an effort to educate our children about nutrition and help them develop healthy eating habits.