Fun Ways to Teach Kids About Healthy Eating

Eating healthy can be difficult for anyone! But when it comes to getting children to eat healthy it is a completely different ball game. However, we were able to find a few little tricks to help out….

• Try app-y meals – A free mobile app that lets you scan any food with a bar code to get a quick letter grade for how real and healthy it is. It turns the search for healthy eats into a kid-friendly point-and-shoot video game.
• Practice Pace– Slowing the pace to at least 30 seconds from start-of-bite to start-of-bite gives the body a chance to send and receive fullness signals after eating just the right amount.
• Play “punchy bag” for processed foods– There’s a reason manufacturers use kid-friendly characters to sell their stuff: It works! In one study, kids were as likely to choose broccoli as a chocolate bar if there was an Elmo sticker on the broccoli. But you can teach kids to recognize marketing tricks. In the original, you tapped a compatriot if you were the first to spot a particular type of car or license plate. In our version, you snap your fingers if you’re the first to notice a food ad trying to appeal to kids.
• Ask who’s your momma– Your fridge and pantry are full of props for playing “Who’s your mama?” Take turns choosing food items and asking where they come from. Apples come from trees. Milk comes from cows. Carrots grow in the ground, etc.

What ways or tricks do you use to get your kids to eat healthy? Let us know in the comment section below!  Full article by Alan Green, M.D. via Parenting available HERE