Health Tips for Children and Parents

Make every bite nutritious for picky eaters

The major matter of concern for moms of picky eaters is the probable lack of nutrition. So, it is their responsibility to make each and every bite highly nutritious.

This can be achieved in four simple steps.

• Don’t allow non-nutritive foods like cola, sweetened beverages, etc which can be replaced by nutritious food choices.
• Add more quantity of whole foods instead of refined ones, for instance, whole bread, brown rice, oatmeal, etc.
• Reduce the quantity and frequency of junk foods, and even the portion of the junk foods.
• Don’t stock up any unhealthy foods

Dining out with Children

Dining out with family has become very common. But parents should be cautious when they take out children very often to dine in any restaurant, as unhealthy foods may lead to obesity and other problems in children. Here are the simple tips to make dining out healthy.

• Always have one healthy food choice in your menu – Salads, fresh fruits, clear soup, whole bread, etc.
• Stay away from eating any other kinds/varieties of bread other than whole bread. A big no-no to potato chips aka finger chips
• Give options to children to take fresh fruit juices or milk instead of soda or sweetened beverages
• Don’t order large meals for kids, ask for child’s size
• Choose grilled or baked or steamed or roasted foods rather than fried foods
• Limit the dessert to any one option – any desert or ice cream

Fruity Kids - Fresh Fruits vs. Fruit Juices

There is a common confusion about choosing between fresh fruits and fruit juices for kids. It is believed widely that both carry equal amount of nutrition!

Fresh fruits are the healthiest option for your kids than other forms of fruits! When the fruits are juiced, they lose fibre and more calories are added by way of adding sugar to fruit juices.

Fruit juices become the good choice when your child is sick and is deprived of nutrition. Fresh fruit juices are the best source of instant energy. Whatever may be the choice of fruit juice, apples or mangoes or oranges or melons, drink it immediately after juicing it.

Fruity Kids – No fruit is harmful

There are kids who love to eat only a limited variety of fruits. For instance, a child may like only bananas or only apples, or a child may not like berries and guavas! Don’t hesitate if your little one wants to eat only bananas every day. Bananas are a good source of fibre and potassium, and provide loads of energy! Mommies, no fruit is harmful and it causes no harm even if you feed one particular kind of fruit to your child every day.

Don’t force the child to eat the fruits they don’t like to have! Gradually, you can develop the habit of eating more fruits.

Fruity Kids – Fruity Dinner

Make it a routine to have fruits as a part of dinner! It has two benefits!

• Eating fibre rich fruits improves the digestion and also has a positive effect on the child’s bowel movements and hence prevents constipation in them.
• Fruits are natural sweets, which reduce the intake of other desserts and prevent calorie overload.

Having fruits is a nice way to finish a dinner.

Fresh Fruits Vs. Canned Fruits!

Not many kids show interest in eating fruits. As an alternative, many parent feed the children with canned or tinned fruits. While canned fruits are healthy as they retain the minerals and vitamins as contained in fresh fruits, they cannot compete with fresh and natural ones for one reason! Canned fruits have no skin on them and so they lose the most important nutrient, fibre!

Colourful Foods for Kids – Fruity Kids

When it comes to colourful foods, we just can’t help thinking about fruits! Nature’s best gift to mankind is fruits. Kids love to eat colourful foods and the best way to add more nutrition to the kid’s diet is adding more fruits. From apples to berries, each fruit has plenty of vitamins and minerals. Add at least one whole fruit like an apple or a guava or a bunch of grapes or mixed fruits as a part of daily diet for your kids. Watch out this space for more tips on Fruity Kids, for more nutrition, more tast and better healthy!

Serve Smaller Quantity

Feed children small portions of food. It eliminates wastage of food and your child will find it easier and comfortable to eat. Use age appropriate plates and cups for easy handling. The child will be happy to eat foods they don’t like very much, when served in smaller quantity. If they love the food, they will always ask for more.

Coffee for Kids

Coffee is the most favourite drink of the world! Should I feed coffee for kids? Is that bad or good?

Coffee is in fact good for kids, as they provide some health benefits for adults.

Most parents go for chocolate based beverages for kids, skipping coffee. If your child wants to have a cup of coffee in the morning, no harm! Coffee stimulates brain and improves concentration.

Based on a research, Kids who drink coffee in Brazil are lesser exposed to depression.

Coffee is good for kids but limit it to one or two cups a day!

Holiday Exercise Tips

Your child may go completely lazy during the holidays! How do we make the little one active?

Try these simple holiday exercise tips:

• Go for a family walk after big meals, either noon or at night. You may walk on the terrace or garden if not on the road.
• Take the stairs as far as possible and choose to walk to the nearby shops along with your children
• Play music and let your child dance, encourage dancing
• Organise some games with nearby children, say, hide and seek, racing, etc.
• Limit television hours, this will automatically increases physical activity
• If possible, enroll the child for swimming class

Five simple resolutions for parents to manage good health in their kids

• Brush and floss with your kids twice a day
• Spend quality time with your kids everyday for at least 30 minutes to engage in some physical activity (with no disturbance) to make them happy!
• Eat at least one meal as a family every day
• Let the environment be smoke free to prevent diseases
• Use every activity be a role model (Not a BAD influence)

Grow Foods and Non-Grow Foods

Learn about grow foods and non-grow foods for healthy kids.

Grow foods – Foods that make you grow healthy and beautiful, you can grow at home Example: Fruits, vegetables, milk, meat, fish, etc.

Non-grow foods – Foods that prohibit your growth and make you obese Example: Packaged foods, canned and tinned foods, sweetened beverages, etc.