Getting your kid to eat healthy food can really be a tough challenge for any parent. However, some studies show that all the hassle is actually worth the effort because if kids eat healthy food, it can enhance the performance in school. In fact, children that do not eat healthy often struggle in school because it is more possible for them to score lower on tests, miss school. Even worse is that bad eating habits can lead to serious health problems, for example, diabetes. Which doesn’t only affect the performance in school but also decreases the ability to participate in other activities.
When you follow the chain of negative events which start with bad nutrition it is easy to see how a child’s performance in school can suffer. For example, bad nutrition really weakens your immune system which can lead to increased doctor visits and because of that missed days in school.
Missing school makes it harder for children to maintain good grades and following up with the school lessons. Even if they can keep up, bad nutrition can interfere with their ability to digest and accept information. For example, too much sugar can cause attention deficit disorder-like symptoms and chronic headaches making learning hard.
The above nutrition problems usually arise when kids are left of preparing their own lunch and breakfast. If they don’t skip any meals they usually make poor food choices. Out of convenience, kids are drawn to foods that are high in sugar, sodium and fat. This malnutrition particularly is because growth, health and cognitive problems that aren’t noticed until a serious issue develops.
Something as simple as eating the breakfast can make a difference in many of these health problems.
According to California’s Diary Council – Nutritious breakfast provides around one-fourth of recommended dietary allowances for the most important nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron. Schools that have been offering breakfast services have seen major improvements in students attitude, overall health and performance.
Anyway, breakfast is just one of the many ways for parents to ensure that their kids start living healthy. Below we will provide some suggestions on how you can teach your children healthy eating habits.
Healthy Eating For Kids:
- Let your kids help you with the preparation of healthy food, that way they will learn how they can do the same for themselves.
- Limit on how much they drink high-sugar drinks including the ones that are fruit flavored such as soda, punch and 100% fruit juice.
- Make sure the school they visits offers healthy lunch and snacks, otherwise pack them the food at home.
- Take your kids with you to the store and help them choose their favorite foods that are healthy
- Don’t offer a wide variety of packaged snack items, instead offer a few healthy snacks like fresh fruits, cheese and trail mix.
- Lean how Fruits are used as a medicine.
