How to Limit Unhealthy Foods in a Child's Diet

You know a diet of macaroni and cheese every day isn't nutritious for your child but sometimes it's hard to get him to eat anything else. When the television bombards kids with advertisements for sugary-sweet treats and high-fat foods, teaching healthy eating patterns is tough. Try a few techniques to cut back on the junk food and introduce nutritious items.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Skip fast food. When you're tired after a full day of work, it's easy to stop by the hamburger stand and pick up burgers and fries but it won't help your child's diet. Instead, try making large batches of dinner entrees on the weekend and freeze them for easy reheating during the week.

2. Serve up more fruits and vegetables. The more often they are on the menu, the more likely your child will try some.

3. Practice what you preach. Promote a healthy diet by eating one. Children learn by observing and imitating. When you make healthy food choices, your child will follow suit.

4. Bake instead of frying. Not only will you reduce your child's fat intake but also you'll preserve the nutrients in foods. Broiling is also a good alternative to frying.

5. Reduce the fat in the dairy products you feed your child after the age of two. Before that, pediatricians advocate allowing your child to drink whole milk as their increasing brain function depends upon fat to develop. After a child turns two, switch to low-fat dairy products.

6. Stick with the real thing. Products made with "fake fats" may cause a number of unhealthy side effects. Instead of trying to find a short cut to healthy eating, allow your child to eat the real thing, but in smaller quantities.

[jaydeireland]

on 3/19/2008 Great article! Especially the comment about moderation of "real foods"... this is so true! Kids shouldn't have to deal with all those chemicals in foods. Buying real 100% maple syrup is a good example and it has lots of nutrients as opposed to the fake corn-syrup versions.