Parents play a major role in helping children grow up with healthy weights. Teaching your children to enjoy healthy eating and active living at a young age sets them on the path to healthy living for life. Keep these key tips in mind:
Aim to eat a balanced breakfast each day.
People who eat breakfast tend to have healthier weights, so it's an important habit to instill at a young age. A balanced breakfast includes foods from at least three of the four food groups in Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide. Try these ideas to help your family start your day off right:
- Set the table, put the toaster and cereal boxes out and have fruit already cut up in the fridge the night before to save some time in the morning.
- Wake up a little earlier so you will have more time for breakfast together.
- Keep a variety of whole grain breads and cereals on hand to combine with milk or fortified soy beverages, yogurt, cheese and fruit for quick weekday morning meals.
- Try fruit "smoothies" made with milk or fortified soy beverages, yogurt and fresh or frozen fruit--let your child choose their favourite fruit ingredient.
Teach children to make wise food choices.
Offer children a variety of nutrient-rich foods from the four food groups in Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide. Help them learn that some foods are 'every day' foods and others are 'sometimes' foods.
- Make sure most of their choices are 'everyday foods' essential for healthy growth and development, like whole grains, fruit, vegetables and milk or fortified soy beverages
- Make 'sometimes foods' that are less nutritious choices like French fries, candy, chips and soda pop available only once in a while.
- Give your child a chance to make some simple food choices from a young age. For example, 'would you like an apple or a banana?'
- Practice reading the Nutrition Facts on packaged foods with older children.
Foster a healthy relationship with food.
Trust your child to know when he or she is hungry or full, by listening to his or her own 'hunger cues'. Asking children to 'finish everything on your plate' is not a good idea because it teaches them to eat even when they're already full.
- Keep your kitchen stocked with nutritious foods to choose from.
- Remember that you are in control of the foods that come home from the grocery store or where your family eats out.
- Avoid using food as a reward or punishment, which could lead to overeating or poor choices.
- Let your child decide when he or she has eaten enough or feels like more.
Plan to strike a healthy balance.
Involve your children in helping to plan nutritious meals and snacks. Lunches and dinners should include a balance of foods from all four food groups. Try to combine foods from two of the food groups for nutritious snacks.
- Make a game of it by challenging your child to come up with healthy snack and meal ideas using foods they enjoy.
- Shop the outer perimeter of your grocery store together and look for whole grain breads, vegetables and fruit, lower-fat milk and alternatives and lean meats or alternatives.
- Try making a new recipe that combines foods from all four food groups.
- Have children help plan and pack balanced lunches for school.
- Read the article: Packing Healthy School Lunches and Snacks FAQs.
Enjoy meals together as a family.
Try to enjoy mealtimes as a family as often as possible to encourage your children to develop healthy eating habits. Mealtimes provide an ideal opportunity to model healthy eating, to talk about your day and to connect with one another.
- If it is difficult to find time for family meals, designate at least three days out of the week as 'family meal nights' that you can all look forward to.
- Make meal prep and cleanup a family affair too. Even young children can pitch in by helping to set or clear the table.
- Older children can take responsibility for making part of a meal like a salad or even a full meal once a week.
- Avoid eating in front of the television by turning the tube off at mealtimes.
Get your family moving more.
Parents have an important role to play in encouraging active living. Play in the park together, try flying a kite, take a bike ride… the important thing is to get moving more! Try these suggestions for freeing up time to be active:
- Build activity into daily routines, like getting to school or running errands.
- Limit "screen time" spent watching television, playing video games or on the computer.
- Let your child choose one or two favourite shows to watch and then turn the television off.
- Try designating a day or more each week as 'no TV/computer' days.
Focus on physical activity for fun.
Emphasize the fun that comes with being active, rather than focusing on athletic achievement. Help your children find physical activities they enjoy and introduce them to new ones. Some children love team sports, others prefer solo activities.
- Get outside and be active with your child as often as possible.
- Teach your child a fun active game you loved to play as a child.
- Give your child a chance to try new types of physical activities.
- Help your child learn and practice new skills like tossing a Frisbee, riding a bike or shooting hoops.
Set a positive example for healthy living.
Remember that children learn by example. If they see their parents and siblings enjoying nutritious foods and being active, they will be much more inclined to follow their lead. So be a positive role model for healthy eating and active living.
- Enjoy a healthy balance of nutritious foods from all four food groups.
- Make wise food choices when you are shopping or eating out.
- Aim to be active for at least thirty minutes every day.
- Make time to be active with your child a few times a week.
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