As a parent, you want your children to grow up healthy and strong. Instilling good eating habits from an early age lays the foundation for proper growth, disease prevention, and wellbeing. But with busy schedules and temptation around every corner, encouraging nutritious choices can be challenging.

In this post, we’ll share six practical tips to nurture healthy eating habits in your kids that you can start applying today. From role modeling to making nutrition fun, small changes can make a big difference.

By the end, you’ll have actionable advice to shape your children's diet and lifestyle now and as they grow. Let’s get started!

6 Tips to Nurture Healthy Eating Habits in Kids

Taking small steps with the following science-backed methods will soon add up to better long term dietary patterns and improved wellbeing for your growing loved ones. Here are the easy tips:

1.    Set a Good Example

As the adage goes, actions speak louder than words. Children notice and replicate their parents’ and caregivers’ behaviors.

If they routinely see you choosing nutritious whole foods for meals and snacks, they will view these options as normal and acceptable too. Fill your own plate with plenty of colorful fruits and veggies, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, lentils, fish and lean meats.

Think out loud during meal prep and eating occasions to call attention to the nutritious choices you are making to nourish your body.

2.    Involve Kids in Food Prep

Inviting children to help pick out healthy foods at the grocery store and assist with meal planning and preparation sends the message you value their input on nourishing choices.

Kids get a sense of ownership when they help select ingredients to incorporate into family recipes. Let them wash fruits and vegetables, mix and measure ingredients for salads, soups or smoothies and select healthy meal components too.

Added bonus: research shows children more readily try new foods they helped prepare.

3.    Offer Variety

Vary the servings of fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean proteins you offer to expand your child’s palate. Prepare familiar foods in new ways too, like blending veggies into soups or slicing fruits to make fun shapes.

Finding kid-approved methods to incorporate Vitamin A-rich sweet potatoes, potassium-packed bananas, fiber-full beans and omega-3-rich fish exposes children to a breadth of tastes and textures while delivering essential nutrients.

4.    Allow Treats in Moderation

Completely restricting cookies, chips, ice cream and other treats can make them more tempting. Allowing sweets or salty snacks on occasion in reasonable portions teaches balance and self-regulation.

Create clear expectations ahead of special occasions too. Tell children they can choose small or sample-sized candies and treats so they don’t feel deprived of items other kids are enjoying.

5.    Make Mealtimes an Activity

Transforming food presentation into part of the fun sometimes persuades picky palates to participate. Create colorful kebab skewers with their favorite fruits or cut veggies into fun shapes with cookie cutters.

Shape pancakes into hearts or triangles. Use divided plates with organized compartments to separate foods and make meals feel celebratory. Add in some hands-on dipping condiments for getting little fingers into the action too.

6.    Establish a Routine

Aim to serve meals and snacks at approximately the same times daily. Appetite and energy cues align with predictable routines.

If children grow accustomed to eating every few hours, they will more readily accept the healthy offerings you provide when expected mealtimes roll around. Limit random snacking in between to ensure kids arrive hungry at the table.

Conclusion

Promoting healthy eating habits in kids is essential for proper growth and disease prevention.

Role modeling nutritious choices, getting children involved in food planning and preparation, offering variety, avoiding restriction, adding fun and sticking to set meal times have proven effective for establishing good dietary behaviors.

Making smart, balanced food choices the norm from early on paves the way for a lifetime of wellbeing.

FAQs

Q: What are some kid-friendly healthy snacks?

Ans: Fresh or dried fruits, vegetable sticks, nuts, seeds, whole grain crackers, low-fat string cheese, air-popped popcorn and yogurt are great healthy snack options for kids.

Q: Should kids have cheat days with junk food?

Ans: Allowing unhealthy treats occasionally teaches moderation. Set limits like a small dessert once per week or only at special events to prevent cheat days from becoming cheat weeks.

Q: How can I get my picky eater to eat vegetables?

Ans: Offer a new veggie multiple times prepared differently, pair with preferred foods, serve veggie-based dips, add to foods they already enjoy like pasta sauce or bake into sweet treats like zucchini bread. Going slow with patience and creativity is key for expanding picky palates.