With Australian research showing 25% of Australian children are either overweight or obese, now more than ever in our history, is healthier eating so critical for our kids health.  

Unfortunately for parents, raising healthy kids isn’t easy. We are faced with the daily challenges of both time and influence when it comes to food. As we are becoming increasingly ‘time poor’, at the same time the fast food and convenience eating sector is becoming increasingly prevalent in the media. Ordering through an app on our phones through the touch of a button. It’s almost impossible to watch any form of device without some level of fast food advertising reaching you.  

Fortunately starting healthy eating habits for your family and providing nutritious meals or healthy snacks to your loved ones requires just a few basic tips and it’s also invariably cheaper than fast food alternatives.  

Below are a few tips to help get kids into healthy eating habits and away from less nutritious alternatives.   

Tips to get your kids to eat healthy 

Exposure to unhealthy foods: 

• Kids are bombarded with unhealthy food and drinks advertisements tailored specifically to them. This can lead to challenging behaviours such as arguing, whining and refusal to eat anything you make. If you can help it, avoid the confectionary aisle at the supermarket or avoid places which you think may trigger challenging behaviours. 
• Determine what is a ‘sometimes’ food, what is ok, and which foods are off limits in your household. Make sure you are consistent with this so you child knows you mean it. If it’s a clear “No”, be strong. Offer a healthy snack or healthy meal alternatives. 

• Always have healthy kids snacks readily available. Fruit and vegetables are a great choice! I find that washing and cutting fruit and vegetables up at the start of the week helps make the choice easier. You open the fridge and there you have it, ready cut vegetable sticks.  
• Speak to you children about how certain foods may make you feel after eating them. The natural consequences will eventually be a good lesson. E.g. ‘Remember after eating that donut the other day you had a stomach ache’. 
• Educate them on making good choices. It’s ok for them to choose a treat at the shops, but let them know which foods are healthier alternatives. Empower them with choice and control.  

Be your kid’s role model, if you want them to start eating healthy, you should start eating healthy as well. 

• Avoid eating junk foods yourself.  
• If it suits your family, have a designated eat out day (on Friday’s it’s pizza night). This will limit the requesting of eating out during the rest of the week.  
• If you are preparing healthy snacks for the kids, make yourself a portion as well. We often forget about ourselves! 

Let your kids be part of the meal preparation process.

From buying the groceries, to preparing the meal and setting the table. It will give them a sense of accomplishment and they may view the meal as a reward for all their efforts. They will also be exposed to a wider variety of food by helping you. This could one day lead them to trying the different more unusual food.  

• You can put them in-charge of cleaning the veggies, mix the salad dressing, or stirring the pot. 
• Ask them to be creative and set up the table in their own way. 

Add a little fun to the healthy snacks you prepare for your kids. 

• You can cut food in patterns on the plate or make faces or animals. 

• Try to keep fruit visible and easily accessible in the kitchen in a kid friendly bowl. 

Try to limit or, replace, bribery with alternatives. 

• Make the phrasing positive by saying “let’s eat these berries for now then we’ll have lollies on a special occasion” rather than “you can’t have lollies, just have these berries”. 

It can be a struggle, but the most crucial step is to stay positive, consistent and engaged with your kids healthy eating lifestyle.  Parenting is hard at the best of times and when you need extra support we can help. At Tiny Terrors we will offer individually customised consultations and programs to suit your family and their needs. We realise that your child is unique and therefore adapt methods to best suit your family. By offering an in-home service we know that your children are more likely to respond positively to methods implemented in their comfort zone and in familiar surroundings. 

If you would like to learn more about how we can help you raise healthy kids or any other parenting related questions you may have, please visit our website, or call 1300 00 14 14