How to Encourage Your Child to Ditch Unhealthy Foods & Drinks

Children often demand fried food, soft drinks, and ice-creams, pressuring their parents into buying these items for them. As parents, it’s on you to teach them restraint and not give in to their demands. Here are some ways in which you can get your child to adopt healthy eating habits.

Snack Healthy:

• Swap packets of chips and biscuits with nourishing snacks like fruits, fresh vegetables, makhana (fox nuts), dates, raisins, nuts, and dry fruits.

• Other healthy snacks are sprouts, sweet potatoes, steam vegetables with a tasty dip, paneer slices.

Drink Healthy:

Replace sugary cold drinks with the following healthier alternatives:

• Ayurveda recommends a variety of naturally cooling drinks, such as aam panna, khus sherbet, sattu sherbet, and buttermilk.

• These drinks are natural coolants and they have multiple health benefits. Sattu aids in digestion and prevents constipation. Aam panna is great for keeping your child hydrated during the summers. Buttermilk is also good since it boosts immunity.

• Do not, however, serve these drinks chilled or it will hamper your kid’s digestion. Always prepare and serve these drinks fresh and never depend on any readymade preparations available in stores.

Model a Healthy Diet

• Children instinctively imitate and follow their parents' actions so be careful not to set a bad example.

• While making changes to your child’s diet, also incorporate the same healthy changes in your own.

• Store only healthy snacks at home and encourage your kids to turn to fruits, vegetables, and wholesome meals to sate their hunger.

Kids are impressionable by nature and if you gently steer them in the right direction, they will follow you gladly. You may face resistance in the beginning, but you’ve got to be patient and firm. That’s the key to getting them to switch to healthy habits that will serve them well throughout their life.