How to encourage healthy eating habits in your children

A healthy and balanced diet is vital for your little one. Providing them with essential nutrients and vitamins needed for continued growth and development is your, and our, number 1 priority. However, with all of the conflicting information presented to us on childhood nutrition, it can be confusing trying to understand what your child needs to thrive and even more difficult to know where to start. But, because food preferences are likely to stay with your child for life, it’s important to make healthy eating a priority in the early stages of their development.

Here are some tips to encourage a balanced and nutritious diet that your child will enjoy

To help you navigate this tricky area and get off on the right foot, here are a few simple tips to encourage a balanced and nutritious diet that your child can enjoy: • Include fruits and vegetables daily. • Give them carbohydrates such as whole wheat bread and rice; these are good sources of energy. • Include animal proteins such as eggs, chicken, red meat, fish and dairy; they are essential for growth and the formation of muscles. You can also include legumes as a source of protein, such as beans, lentils and chickpeas. • Provide Low-GI snack options like apple chips, plain yoghurt, carrots, almonds, walnuts and berries. • Limit their intake of highly processed foods that are high in calories. • Offer them water when they are thirsty, limiting added sugars in their diets that can come from juice or cooldrinks. • Prepare 3 meals and 2 snacks for them daily. Children need small meals to stay energized during the day. Another simple way you can encourage healthy eating is by involving your children in the process of buying, preparing and cooking their meals. Of course, healthy eating is just one part of healthy living and it’s also important to encourage your children to be active, get regular exercise, and spend time outdoors (1). If you are concerned about your child’s diet, speak with a registered dietitian or your paediatrician to see if a supplement like PediaSure® can help. PediaSure® is the Number One Prescribed Child Nutritional Supplement ⁽³⁾, with 26 vitamins and minerals ⁽⁴⁾ for weight, growth, immunity and development for children aged 3-10 years. PediaSure® reduces sick days by up to 60% ⁽⁵⁾! And, better immunity means better growth ⁽⁵⁾. For more information on how PediaSure® can help your little one, visit our website or join the PediaSure® SA Facebook community. References: 1. Healthy eating leads to healthy living. Available at: https://pediasure.com/healthy-eating-kids/picky-eaters/habits-tips Date Accessed: April 2018. 2. Put a little fun in your meals. Available at: https://pediasure.com/healthy-eating-kids/picky-eaters/meal-prep-ideas 3. IQVIA Scripting dispensed data on Child Nutritional Supplement Constructed Market Latest MAT March 2018 – February 2019. 4. PediaSure® Product Label. 5. Huynh DTT, Estorninos E, Capeding RZ, et al. Longitudinal growth and health outcomes in nutritionally at-risk children who received long-term nutritional intervention. J Hum Nutr Diet. doi:10.1111/jhn.1230. *Growth is defined as increases in weight in children. Based on a 48-week clinical study in children at risk of nutritional risk when given in conjunction with dietary counselling at baseline, 4 weeks and 8 weeks.