The other day at the School’s Annual Function, my son got a scholar badge for excellent performance in the previous year. To celebrate this proud moment, we went out for a family dinner. Though I try to order a mix of spicy food and baked or nutritious food, children who are picky eaters enjoy the tastier and sometimes unhealthier options. That day, my son enjoyed the celebration with the family in the restaurant. But I was concerned about his health. I know that skipping balanced food for one day will not harm my child but I still had to make him practice healthy eating habits. My home is always a battleground and our dining table is a place of disagreement over food choices. As my son is growing, his eating habits are changing drastically. From nutritious foods and drinks, he is shifting to canned and packed food as he observes other kids eating them. All children would eat less at home and then try new food items from the school canteen or eating outlets in the local market.
Healthy eating habits are a way to be stronger tomorrow.
I remember my mom running after me with food bites during my growing years and today I find myself in the same place. But gradually I understood the importance of a balanced diet and the essence of home-cooked food. Now it’s time to find ways to promote healthy eating habits in my son too.
1. Setting fixed meal times and preparing food on time
Family influences children’s habits. Every good and bad habit of the family is reflected in the children. No matter how big or small your family may be, it’s good to come together at the dining table. It is the best time to share your thoughts and a way to share your healthy eating habits with kids. I have a set time for every meal and I try to serve food at the specified time. This is achieved by planning the menu and getting ingredients beforehand. This practice lets your children eat daily at specific times whether they are less hungry or very hungry. Eating at the same time makes their tummy full and prevents them from snacking at irregular intervals with junk food.
2. Setting an example by eating together
Parenting has changed me for good as I have also adopted healthy eating habits. Kids follow you, especially their moms for every other habit so I thought why not my eating habits? For many years now, I researched and added nutritious food items into my daily meals like fruits in the morning, a rule to include a bowl of curd and salad to my lunch and a combination of rice, dal, paneer, potato curry, green leafy vegetables, chapati in dinner. My son knows that he has to choose at least one thing from my plate so that there’s a balance of nutrition in his daily meal.
3. Involving kids in the preparation process and discussing the origin of different foods and drinks.
I know that kids love a variety of cuisines and they can’t stick to Indian meals just because it’s nutritious and healthy. So, I try to make different healthy recipes at home, all thanks to YouTube and I involve my son in the preparation process. For example, he likes noodles so I add as many vegetables as I can of different colours so that he enjoys his meal and I enjoy feeding him a healthy meal.
Along with nutritious food including a glass of milk, he likes to have it flavoured . As a child, I used to drink Complan and I am happy to find the legacy of Complan continues. When I was a child, I didn’t know about the nutritious value of Complan since I was only concerned about its great taste. Now as a parent, I was happy to find 34 essential nutrients present in Complan including 100% milk protein. It also has 63% more protein than other nutrition drinks.
Complan is clinically proven to support 2x faster growth and supports memory and concentration. As an addition to a balanced diet, Complan is the right choice for my son who closely follows my
tastes and preferences.
What are some tricks you use to ensure your child is getting a balanced diet? Share with me your parenting journey and let us know different ways of promoting healthy eating habits in your child.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the blog content are independent and unbiased views of solely the
blogger. This is a part of the public awareness initiative supported by Complan.
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