Healthy eating is important to children’s growth and development. Canada’s food guide shares tips to encourage healthy eating habits, and ideas for lunches and snacks.
Article written for Lumino Health by Canada’s food guide
Looking for healthy back-to school lunch and snack ideas? Canada’s food guide shares some healthier lunchbox recipes along with some ways parents can encourage healthy eating habits.
The importance of healthy eating for children
Healthy eating helps promote healthy growth and development. Not only that, childhood is also an important time to shape healthy eating habits and behaviours and to develop food skills that will last a lifetime.
How can parents encourage healthy eating habits
Parents play an important role in creating a healthy food environment and supporting their children’s interest in healthy food. There are many ways that parents can help their children develop healthy eating habits:
Lead by example – children look to their parents for guidance and are more likely to make healthy choices if you do. Offer healthy meals and snacks throughout the day and eat together as a family without distractions like TV.
Getting kids involved in planning and preparing meals is another great way to encourage healthy eating habits. Assign age-appropriate tasks in the kitchen and try new recipes together.
Include your kids when writing your grocery list. You can add foods they enjoy and talk to them about what makes a healthy meal. This can help your kids develop new food skills such as reading recipes and measuring ingredients. It can also help develop their reading, writing and math skills.
Healthy school lunches
School lunches are key to providing children with the energy and nutrients they need for learning throughout the day. Include school lunches in your meal planning to help keep you organized, and get your kids’ input on the types of foods they like. This includes vegetables and fruits, whole grain foods and protein foods. When packing lunches, don’t forget to include a reusable water bottle. Here are some quick and easy lunch ideas:
Finger food. Pack a lunch bag with whole grain crackers, lower fat cheese cubes, carrot sticks and apple slices.
Wrap it. Wrap cooked chicken, salmon or egg salad in a whole grain tortilla with green onions, red peppers and cucumber. Have some grapes on the side.
Leftovers. Bring last night’s dinner with you in a reusable container or thermos for lunch. Pack some fruit salad for dessert.
Make a pasta salad using whole grain macaroni and canned beans. Add chopped cucumber, diced tomato and lower fat yogurt dressing.
Chilli burrito. Use leftover chilli in a whole grain wrap with shredded carrots and lettuce. Pack a favourite fruit on the side.
Tips for picky eaters
Picky eating can be a challenge for parents in establishing healthy eating habits in young children. Some children hesitate to try new foods. But there are a few things you can do to help overcome picky eating. Children are more likely to accept a new food the more often they are exposed to it. So offer foods more than once and don’t be discouraged. Try different ways of preparing foods and remember, involving your kids in meal preparation can also help them become more familiar and interested in eating foods they helped cook.