Building healthy eating habits for kids can be challenging

Today’s guest post comes to us from Jennifer O’Neal of AllExerciseBikes.net, and she writes about healthy eating habits for kids. More specifically, she covers ways to build healthy eating habits for kids while at school.

I really enjoyed this read and I hope you do too. It is filled with so much great information you can use starting now.

Enjoy.
– Will

How to teach healthy eating habits for kids at school

We all want to build healthy eating habits for kids in our society, especially our own children.

We prepare healthy and nutritious food on our kitchen table. We show them that eating fruits and vegetables can provide a lot of benefits. We think of creative ways to make healthy foods look fun and delicious when introducing healthy eating habits for kids. Since we believe that healthy eating habits for kids start at home, we do everything in our power to provide a lot of healthy food choices for them.

As much as we want to shelter our kids in the safety of our homes, they need to explore their world. School is a perfect environment for them to socialize with other kids and learn skills and knowledge needed in life.

It is also at school that they pick up habits from other kids, and some of them are not good ones.

How do you ensure healthy eating habits for kids at school and what foods they choose to eat?

Below are some tips that you can do as a parent to teach your kids healthy eating habits.

1. Insist on good food choices at school
   It’s hard to eat something healthy when you are presented with unhealthy food choices such as chocolates, candies, burgers, cakes and potato chips. It is a daunting and uphill challenge when it comes to healthy eating habits for kids at school.

   The school cafeteria should provide healthy food choices. Take time to visit your kid’s school, particularly the cafeteria, to see if they serve nutritious food. If you think that they are not providing healthy food choices for your kids, talk to the school administrator or introduce this topic as a point of discussion during parent-teacher meetings.

   You should be proactive in insisting that your child’s school provides wide array of healthy food choices when it comes to building and maintaining healthy eating habits for kids. When there are plenty of fruits and vegetables to choose from, your kid would develop good eating habits.

2. Encourage children to eat slowly
   Remember a time when you were reprimanded by your parents because you shoved too much food into your mouth and swallowed it as fast as you could?

   Our parents taught us to eat slowly and chew our food carefully with every bite as one of the most crucial healthy eating habits for kids. We should pass this teaching on to our own kids.

   Teaching kids to eat slowly is not only a social decorum but it is also beneficial in their health and eating habits. When food is chewed carefully, their risk of indigestion and stomach upset is relatively lowered. They will also appreciate the food more when they savor each bite. Having a deep appreciation of the different dimension of taste will help them in keeping healthy eating habits for kids.

3. Encourage them to eat foods that reduce stress
   School can bring too much stress to our little ones.

   With the demands to perform in curricular activities such as testing and daily homework, as well as seeking to fit in socially, our kids can be stressed at a young age.

   Help them fight stress by exposing them to foods that are known to reduce stress as one of the many healthy eating habits for kids.

   Be sure to stock these nutritious foods in your kid’s lunch boxes:

   

   • Green leafy vegetables such as spinach
   • Turkey
   • Fermented foods such as yogurt
   • Salmon
   • Blueberries
   • Pistachios
   • Dark chocolate
   • Seeds such as sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds
   • Avocados

   These foods are not only healthy and satisfying but they can also lower your kid’s stress level.

4. Give them attractive water bottles to enjoy every sip
   Let’s admit it. Having our kids drink plenty of water can be challenging. In fact, there is another guest post on Windy Pinwheel discussing this topic as a stand-alone article. That’s how important it is.

   Sometimes you feel like begging your kids to take a sip or bribe them that if they gulp down the whole glass of water, you’ll buy them the latest model of a smart phone, a new set of Lego toys or even perhaps a new American Girl doll.

   Instead of buying a smart phone or these other items, why don’t you try buying an attractive water bottle that they will enjoy and not feel embarassed about carrying with them?

   Choose their favorite design and color. Having interesting water bottles can make every sip enjoyable and fun for children seeking to fit in with the "coolest" water bottle among all of their friends’ water bottles.

5. Warn kids about drinking calories
   You know that being healthy is important. You ride exercise bikes to help you stay fit. You also want your children to be conscious of their health and eating habits. As a parent, you can help lead your children in developing healthy eating habits for kids.

   Aside from giving them healthy food choices, let your kids know the dangers of drinks that are high in calories. Sodas and juices are not healthy as they often contain too much sugar and are not much in the way of nutritional value.

   As a healthy alternative, give them a bottle of water. You can also make juices or shakes from fresh fruits with a blender or juicer.

6. Encouraging packing a lunch with rewards
   Gone are the days of packing a boring lunch.

   Use your creativity to fill your kids’ lunch boxes with healthy foods that look fun and enticing as a way of building healthy eating habits for kids. Fruits and vegetables come in a variety of different colors so you can create a work of art. You can also cut them into small pieces and form fun shapes and designs.

   Make a deal with your children that if they eat all of the food in their lunch boxes, a reward awaits them.

   Teaching healthy eating habits for kids at school is not easy however it is not impossible either. With these effective tips, you can increase your confidence that you can raise your children into an individual that values healthy food choices and it all starts with building healthy eating habits for kids both at home and at school.

About the Guest Post Author

Jennifer O’Neal is a writer who loves to write an article on various topics such as health, fitness, exercise etc. She is a lifelong cyclist, enjoying the thrill of an outdoor ride as much as the one on her indoor cycling bikes. She uses exercise bikes for weight loss & fitness.

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The importance of water on a young child’s body and the ways to get your kids to drink more water every day

Today’s guest post comes to us from Amelia Johnson of StayHealthyWays.com, and she writes about 5 simple ways to get your kids to drink more water each day. In her article below, she discusses the importance of water on a growing young child’s body. Signs of dehydration in children can often be overlooked and caught too late. Also, instilling the habit of grabbing for a healthy choice of water is something that they can pass on to their own children. It may seem like common sense to drink water to an adult, but often if children are left to make their own decision about it, they will reach for the sugary, colored drink available to them over water. Practice healthy habits, educate yourself and be a good role model for your children and show them the importance of water on their bodies.

Enjoy.
– Will

5 simple ways to get your kids to drink more water each day

The human body is composed of ¾ of water. It is very important to maintain the desired level of water in the body. Kids don’t know about this fact and there are always more ways to get your kids to drink more water each day, we just have to explore the options available to us as parents. Given this information, therefore, it is necessary to find ways to get your to kids drink more water each day. This can be easily done by, for example, offering water to your children enjoy inside of a fruit infuser water bottle. They’ll love it!

Lack of water in human body leads to dehydration. Dehydration means that the body does not have enough water to help it function properly. We lose water from our bodies through activities every day such as sweating, urinating, breathing, having diarrhea, or even defecating. This does not apply to adults alone, but also to kids. As such, it is very important to employ new and easy ways to get your kids to drink more water wherever you find them.

To recover the water lost through such activities and others, we must hydrate our bodies. This can be done by drinking and eating. Kids are at a much greater risk of dehydration. It is, therefore, necessary to help them develop this habit especially with the hot Summer months of June, July and August upon us to find easy ways to get your kids to drink more water every day.

The importance of drinking water to the body (especially for kids)

1. To keep the body hydrated so that it can function properly.

   As children are growing, it is necessary to keep their bodies hydrated. They should always have unlimited access to clean drinking water. A small loss of body fluids leads to a much greater reduction in the performance of both mental and even physical activities. Dehydration may lead to heat stroke in children. They are more prone to heat stroke than adults.

2. Children thirst mechanisms are less developed than those of adults.

   It is, therefore, important to encourage them to drink water even if they are not thirsty. Signs of dehydration in children include irritability, sleepiness, and headaches. It is also advisable to practice giving children water rather than soft drinks.

3. Water helps to make us look young.

   Water not only keeps joints lubricated, but it also helps in keeping us young and looking young. With enough water in the body, studies have shown that regular water consumption helps slow the signs of aging in human beings. Children also need water to lubricate their young joints as they grow.

4. Water is responsible for transporting nutrients to various body parts.

   Water does this process by transporting the nutrients to various body parts where they are needed most. This helps in enhancing metabolic processes in the body.

5. Importance to the kidneys.

   Kidneys filter about 120 liters of water each day. They cannot function without enough water. If the kidneys fail, to function, then the body cannot get rid of bodily waste. If there is enough excess waste fluids build in the body, it can lead to kidney failure or chronic kidney diseases; if left untreated.

6. Water helps in controlling calories.

   Substituting water for high-calorie beverages can help in weight loss. Those foods with high water content are absorbed more easily by the body. These types of foods include vegetables, beans, fruits, and soups. This is an easy choice to deploy in our ways to get your kids to drink more water because it is a part of eating and being healthy.

Why are your kids lazy when it comes to drinking water?

The raging hormones of your kid might be the cause of development of this type of attitude and something to over come when looking for ways to get your to kids drink more water each day. Water impacts moods in children and other functions like memory recollection and learning abilities. Due to their low memory capacity, children are not able to develop a habit of drinking water.

Children tend to concentrate on activities that are fun for them. They tend to use water inappropriately rather than drinking for their benefits water provides.

Water does not have a pleasing taste that some of the kids may want. Clean drinking water is usually tasteless. You will rarely find kids drinking water unless it is their only option. Instead, they will dirty and waste the water accessible to them. Think of a young child putting water in their mouth, playing with it and spitting it out.

Kids also don’t recognize the early stages of thirst. This can end up making them more vulnerable to dehydration. This can happen, especially when they are in the mobile activities like playing sports where a drinking fountain or water bottle isn’t easily accessible.

Kids have higher water requirements about their body weights than adults. Their bodies are in the stages of fast growth and development. They, however, are unable to maintain proper water levels. They like sweet tasting fluids, which are not recommended due to the sugar content and empty calories, colors and dyes added to many of these kinds of beverages.

5 simple ways to get your kids to drink more water

To make e sure that your kids are not dehydrated is not an easy task. It’s not about just telling them to drink water. The following steps may be applied as several ways to get your to kids drink more water each day.

1. Buy water bottles for your kids.

   This will be applicable especially when it is hot and kids are sweating. Give them water bottles to use as their drinking water to make sure that they are hydrated.

   You can buy them the best fruit infuser water bottle. This is one of the best choices you can make.

   You can also buy them a stainless steel bottle as one of the ways to get your to kids drink more water each day. This bottle contains a material similar to cooking utensils. It is easy to clean and does not contain holes.

   Check your kids as they go to school to ensure that they bring a water bottle with them. This will help them in saving time going to the water fountain. They can conveniently drink anytime they feel thirsty and carry on with their day as another of our ways to get your kids to drink more water every day.

   Let your kids drink water from their favorite bottle of their choosing. Start by asking your kids what they want their water bottle to look like so they will like to drink water from their favorite water bottle. Try to see if you can find such a bottle in the store. By doing so, your kids are better encouraged and engaged with drinking water on a more regular basis as one of the ways to get your to kids drink more water.

   All these practices will help your kids drink more water overall.

2. Engage your kids in doing some water activities.

   This activity is effective and entertaining in teaching your kids the importance of water as one of the ways to get your kids to drink more water. You can engage your kids in activities such as canoeing or walking near a river or ocean. You can also encourage them to swim, especially during Summer. This will offer a refreshing and good exercise activity when it is hot outside.

3. Share water fruits with your kids.

   Some fruits, as mentioned above have plenty of water in them naturally. Try sharing fruits like watermelon with your kids. Watermelon consists of about 92% water. It is high in protein and lowers blood pressure. It can also improve the metabolic processes of the body.

   Other fruits that you can share are strawberries. These fruits do not have calories, and they have a lot of fiber.

   Coconut water is low in fat and calories but rich in minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. And kids will love it. Not only is coconut water a nutritious drink, coconut oil also has some prominent effects on the skin, such as reducing cellulite and jock itch.

4. Teach your kids about the water safety.

   For example, while swimming; teach them to make sure that they go swimming while there is an adult watching. Stress to them the importance of the dangers of going swimming in deep waters, like the possibility of drowning. Here are some measures on Windy Pinwheel that you can take to ensure you are doing what you can to protect your children from drowning when it comes to pool safety.

5. Keep water at your child’s preferred temperature in the room.

   The last item in our list of ways to get your kids to drink more water is to allow your children to choose their preferred water temperature. Also, try to hide carbonated and sugary drinks to encourage them to drink more water.

Conclusion

Water for children is a healthy and also very important habit to develop to them while they are still young. Instilling the habit early in life will enable your children to grow up with the habit, which, in turn, they can extend to their children.

Be a good role model to your kids and drink plenty of water yourself as one of the ways to get your kids to drink more water each day. You will find that they will learn from you and definitely like water as they get older. Water keeps children healthy and also helps them to perform better in school. We should always be looking for new ways to get your kids to drink more water and it starts with you, mom and dad. Practice the habits you want your kids to reflect that you value.

With the effects of dehydration like the possible reduction in physical and mental performance, the results are easily seen in the classroom. Chronic dehydration, over a long period of time, may cause illness and health problems.

Start a healthy habit and share water with your children.

What did you think of these ways to get your kids to drink more water each day? Do you have any to add to the conversation? What methods do you use as ways to get your kids to drink more water each day? We’d love to hear about it. Please comment below and let us know.

About the Guest Post Author

Amelia is a writer/editor with an endless passion for bringing a lot of useful and trustworthy information to the community. She founded StayHealthyWays.com, a blog dedicated to sharing quality articles related to health, nutrition, fitness, and beauty. As a typical interior, Amelia is a perfectionist in work. At times of leisure, she reads, listens to music, chats with some close friends and walks with her pet.

Sponsor this article for $1.00

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Enter website URL. Sponsor title will be hyperlinked with this URL.

By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

By clicking the button below, I agree with the Terms & Conditions.