Guest Blog: ‘Three Healthy Eating Habits for Children’ by Alyshia Venus

Hello and welcome to another guest blog. This week we are looking at children and healthy eating. This post has been written especially for my blog by Alyshia Venus. Alyshia Venus is a food blogger and mum. She is dedicated to promoting healthy living and encouraging parents to make sure their children eat a balanced diet. In her spare time she loves to visit great restaurants and try new cuisines and flavors.

All parents want the best for their children and for them to grow up healthy. Yet one area that a lot of parents find hard to get right is their child’s diet. Live Science states that the diets of children have deteriorated over the past two generations. In this article we will look at three healthy eating habits that will improve your children’s diet and upbringing.

Balanced Diet

Nutrients are very important in a child’s diet and getting them to eat five fruit and vegetables a day can be challenging. Research has shown the enormous health benefits of ensuring that your child gets enough vitamins and nutrients through vegetables and fruit. A balanced diet is vitally important to your child’s health and upbringing. The recommended amount of fruit and vegetables is five a day, yet with the accessibility of junk food and microwavable meals children are often getting protein, sugar and salt heavy meals. One way parents can ensure their children are getting the required amount is to hide the fruit in healthy treats. Toosta presented three recipes for healthy summer snacks for your children, with one of these snacks being a mango lime popsicle.

You will need:

2 ripe mangos, chopped
2 limes, juiced
1/4 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup of water
9 plastic 3oz cups / popsicle moulds
Small wooden craft sticks

How to:
In a blender, puree all the ingredients. Taste and adjust.
Pour into cups / molds and freeze for a least 4 hours. After the first 2 hours, place the sticks into the partially frozen pops.

Eat Meals As a Family

We all lead busy schedules and one area that suffers the most is family meal times. These days even a family dinner at the weekend can be a struggle to fit in. Family meals allow you to control what your child eats and you can promote healthy eating at the same time. Eating meals as a family is not just about what you eat it is also how you eat. Family meals should be a time that the family comes together in an enjoyable setting to spend quality time together. WebMD states that mealtimes should not be unpleasant because children may eat faster to leave the table as soon as possible. This can lead to the association of eating and stress.

Cut down on sugar

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in diets have led to obesity and health problems. The WHO states that the calories in these beverages have very little nutritional value and don’t provide the same feeling of fullness that solid food provides. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver did a TED talk on how much hidden sugar (sugar that is in products you wouldn’t necessarily expect) is found in products aimed at children. He created a visual demonstration using a wheelbarrow to show how much sugar a child would consume from sugars in flavored milk. A parent must be aware of what their children consumes and how much sugar can be hidden in a bottle of orange juice or their favorite cereal. It is recommended to limit sweets and fizzy drinks and only let your children have them as a treat.

Please do leave Alyshia some comments and feedback. You can check out Alyshia’s own blog over at Allie Speakz and follow her on Twitter @AllieCooper_18 .

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