Today, the final part of our series of articles that deals with the healthy nutrition of children and adolescents. I hope we could help you a little.
Be careful with habits!
Nutritional habits form mainly during the toddler age: children who grow up with a healthy and varied diet also prefer fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grain products as adults and rarely reach for sweets, fast foods and convenience meals. Parents should therefore start with the proper diet of their children as early as possible. And don’t be surprised if you see your own eating habits in your children again. Children like to imitate their most important role models in terms of food and drink. So it’s worth being a good example.
But, of course, every child also develops thier own preferences. One likes cheese on their bread, the other child categorically refuses cheese. In such cases, alternatives must be offered. In the case of dairy products, yoghurt, buttermilk or herbal curd.
If your child is reluctant to eat fruit and vegetables, the amount given to her or him should be considered: Can you get them excited about fresh fruit or vegetable sticks? You can find more inspiration on this topic here.
… and what about sweets, fast food and the like?
The fact that children are interested in fast food, pizza & co., despite all parental efforts, there is no real way around this. Total prohibition is not advisable: this only makes the food more interesting. And children don’t need to go completely without sweets, cakes, greasy little pastries or salty nibbles. Again, the old rule applies: »The amount is everything!«. Children should therefore learn to eat such foods consciously and only in small portions.
In addition, you can prepare delicious creations made with healthy ingredients together with your children. How about a homemade pizza made of wholemeal dough, or with a layer of vegetables instead of kilos of cheese? Or a turkey burger in full grain bread with fresh salad, tomatoes and a small turkey breast? Even chili con carne can be a healthy dish with fresh tomatoes, red bell peppers and a small amount of ground beef.
You’ll need to take some time for this, of course. In the best case, you are already shopping with your children and showing them what to look for when choosing fresh ingredients. Children should also help with the preparation. Depending on their age, they can carry out small work steps independently or simply cook recipes under supervision all by themselves. And what could taste better than a meal you’ve cooked all by yourself?
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