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5 Tips on Keeping Kids Healthy

  1. Set the example

It can be hard for your child to appreciate those carrot sticks when you’re busy emptying the Dorito bag. Remember to set an appropriate example of healthy eating and your child will most likely follow suit.

  1. Working together

Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to become the supreme ruler of broccoli and kale. There are delicious recipes out there that are actually healthy and fun to eat. Get some input from the kids and see what kinds of foods they will actually eat on their own.

  1. Cook at home

There is no better way to know what is in your food than to make it yourself. As the chef, you control the recipe and thus the ingredients. There is also no need to keep a lid on the creativity; the sky (or maybe the kitchen) is yours!

  1. Limit snacks

You’ve just finished your five-course meal, (that will no doubt impress the nutritionists out there) but your child just finished scarfing down a bowl of Cocoa Puffs. Turns out that there’s no more room in that belly for your top-notch dinner. Limit the snacks and there is a better chance the little one will be ready to eat at mealtime!

  1. Rethinking the saying: “Finish your plate!”

This is a saying that goes back to the dawn of the dinosaurs, but one should be weary of it. Teach moderation to your children, not just the idea of finishing the helping that they are given. While the idea behind this saying is meant to give you a sense of security that your child is eating enough, it may have a negative impact on their future approach to mealtime.

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Minnieland Academy provides early childhood education and care for infants through school-age children. We believe in learning in a loving environment.

Founded in 1972 by Chuck and Jackie Leopold, Minnieland Academy has provided Virginia families with the best early childhood education and care for over 40 years. We have over 60 schools that serve infants through school age children, helping them develop in a loving environment. We believe that learning is fun, and our Kid Steps curriculum provides age appropriate education at every level of their growth.

Come visit one of our schools and become part of the Minnieland Academy Family! https://www.minnieland.com

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How to Help Your Children Eat Their Vegetables

boy and vegetables

It’s important for parents to start introducing vegetables and other healthy foods to their children as early as possible. Healthy food choices not only benefit their physical growth, but they also produce healthier brains and more stable emotions. Once your kids get used to eating healthy food, that is what they will begin craving, which means dining will no longer be a battleground of the wills when it comes to eating vegetables.

To help you make your kids eat healthily, here are a few tips:

  • Avoid giving food as rewards. Do not let kids get used to receiving food rewards because it can tamper with their perception of healthy foods. If you give kids cake, ice cream, and other sweets for rewards, they will try to work for these cravings.
  • Consider healthy options when dining out. Do not let dining out be a reason to let them off the healthy track. Make sure they get their fill of healthy foods wherever you go. Many restaurants’ menus are becoming much more health-conscious.
  • Be an example. Show your kids that healthy eating is a good thing. Choose healthy food options for yourself, so that is what they become used to seeing. Kids constantly mimic their parents, so this is a huge key to success.
  • Make eating fun. Eating vegetables does not have to turn your kids’ faces sour. Make themed presentations that make their dining experience fun. Arrange the vegetables into happy faces, mashed potatoes into a fun hat shape, etc.
  • Implement rules. Kids usually follow the rules when they have been specifically detailed for them. Set reasonable rules for their eating habits like drinking water after every after meal or eating a full lunch everyday.
  • Consider how they feel. Do not just push the food down their throats without considering how they feel. Be strategic about how you entice them to eat their vegetables. If they feel too forced or attacked, they may go into resistance mode.
  • Let them help. Kids love to do things and participate in activities. If you allow them to help with food preparation and cooking, they will be more likely to eat the food because they had a role in making it.