Healthy food for kids

We all know how important it is for children and teens to make healthy food and activity choices. But, while it may be easy to say, it’s not always so easy to do!

However, the benefits of setting some time aside to plan key steps towards getting the kids and whole family eating better and doing more activity make it all worthwhile.

When children are young, parents and other caregivers are responsible for providing an environment that helps them maintain a lifestyle that is beneficial to their health. You can help your child by doing the following:

Be a positive role model for healthful eating and activity habits.
Provide a calm, reassuring atmosphere at regular meal and snack times.
Set appropriate limits on screen entertainment like television, tablets and video games.
Involve the whole family in fun physical activities.
Help children develop and maintain a positive body image.
Avoid restrictive diets and excessive exercise regimens.

When it comes to nutrition and fitness, the role of parents is the same no matter the size of their children. A healthy weight for kids is about much more than numbers. It is about healthy behaviours, such as enjoying a variety of foods and activities for strength, flexibility and aerobic capacity.

Good food and eating well.

Healthy eating means enjoying a variety of foods from each of the five food groups every day.

The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating gives us a good idea about which foods children and teens need each day. These include:

plenty of vegetables, legumes, fruits.
plenty of cereals, including breads, rice, pasta and noodles – preferably wholegrain
lean meat, fish, poultry and/or alternatives
milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives – choose reduced-fat choices where possible.

And remember, water is the best drink for kids and teens.

Did you notice the foods that are not on the guide?

Lollies, chocolates, soft drinks, cakes, chips and the like do not fit into the food groups. That’s because, as tempting as they are, children and teens (and adults as well!) don’t actually need them.

These ‘extra’ foods, sitting in the bottom corner of the Guide, should only be eaten sometimes and even then, only in small amounts.

How much of each food group?

Every child is different, and the amount of each of the food groups they’ll need will depend on age, body size and activity level, but there are recommendations for how many serves of each food group children and teens normally need.

Encourage them to eat more vegetables and fruits.

Getting kids to eat more fruit and vegetables every day can sometimes be a struggle. However, research shows that they’re more likely to tuck into these healthy foods if they’re available, ready to eat and their parents are enjoying them.

We can also involve our kids in growing, buying and preparing different foods. This can help them taste and enjoy a bigger range of foods, including fruits and vegetables.

Teen’s eating habits can change.

The life of a teenager is full of change. As well as physical changes, there are changes in fashion, attitude, interests, income and even tastes.

So it’s not surprising that their eating habits may change as well – sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse – and may include dieting, skipping meals, filling up on take-away food or, if you're lucky, taking up cooking as a serious hobby.

Eating habits of teenagers can be brought about by:

growth spurts
a focus on fitness and looks
media messages and body image
eating away from home.

Diets are not the answer.

Diets can do more harm than good. Research suggests kids who diet end up weighing more than non-dieters, with lower self-esteem and greater risk for eating disorders. Do not put your child on a diet, especially without consulting your doctor and a registered dietitian nutritionist.

Here are some simple actions adults can take to help children develop positive lifestyle habits. These strategies have been shown to promote a healthy weight for adults, too

Be active by playing together. Kids need at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Play with your kids every day. It's fun for them and fun for you too. Consider checking out your local community centre for kid-friendly activities. Plan family activities that get everyone moving such as biking, after-dinner walks, basketball or soccer at the park.
Make family mealtimes a special time together. Eating more meals together can make a big difference in your family's health, happiness and finances. Dinners made at home are less costly than eating out and easier to prepare than you might think.
Eat breakfast. Go beyond cereal and milk and try a breakfast burrito made with a scrambled egg, cheese and salsa wrapped in a flour tortilla. Also, teach kids to use the blender to make their own breakfast smoothie or serve a yoghourt bar with low-fat plain or vanilla-flavoured yoghourt. Add toppings like whole grain cereal, dried fruit and unsalted nuts.
Don't forbid food or use food as a reward. Forbidding foods only increases a child’s desire for that food. Instead of saying no to your child’s favourite food, limit the portion size. Use non-food rewards for good behaviour such as stickers or allowing your child to have a friend over to play.
Dine out responsibly. When dining at a restaurant, look for nutritious options on the children’s menu such as a grilled chicken wrap, carrots with dip and fruit. If you order takeout or home delivery, remember that you can add to the meal by serving a glass of low-fat milk or adding a side salad.
Enjoy a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. Most children beyond age 4 need at least 1½ cups of fruit and 1 ½ to 2 ½ cups of vegetables a day. Serve juicy, crunchy, delicious fruits and vegetables at every meal and snack. Fresh, frozen, dried and canned — all types of produce contribute to good health. You can make produce fun by serving frozen grapes, vegetable kebabs or strawberry-topped frozen yoghurt. Some kids dislike bitter or strong flavoured veggies so keep it simple by serving steamed broccoli or cauliflower. Expand raw veggies and dip choices by steaming green beans and zucchini and serving them cold along with baby carrots, celery and cucumbers.
Encourage mindful eating. Ban screens at meal time and help kids focus on their food by being present at the dinner table. Ask your kids what it feels like to be very hungry, a little bit hungry, comfortably full and uncomfortably full. Discuss the importance of trusting and listening to internal body cues.
Choose healthy beverages. Soft drinks, fruit punch and fruit drinks contain added sugars which could be displacing nutritious beverages. Offer healthier drinks like plain milk and water instead.

Remove televisions and video games from bedrooms. Kids who get enough sleep are more likely to maintain a healthy weight and perform better in school. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television in children's rooms to reduce screen time and promote healthy sleep habits