Tips to improve your child’s nutrition:
Eat nutritious meals and snacks yourself and your kids might follow. Dietary habits develop in early childhood, particularly during adolescence.
Get your nutrients primarily from foods rather than supplements. Consume mostly veggies, fruits, whole grains, and some fat free dairies, lean meats, and fish. Supplements can be part of a healthy diet, but do not replace one.
Parents are in charge of meal times and what’s in the fridge and pantry, so you have control over the supplying ingredients. Kids decide whether, how much and what goes on their plate.
Nutritional needs from one life stage to another require different nutrients, so offer a variety of foods. The intake of macronutrients and most micronutrients is higher relative to body size in childhood.
Encourage physical activities such as playing together when kids are younger and supporting their organized physical activities when they decide to join a team.
Focus on good health instead of body weight and emphasize that changes in body size and shape are part of a normal adolescent development. Girls gain more fat during this time and boys gain more muscle and bone mass. They need to take care of the body they have.
Provide opportunities for nutrition education by helping your growing kids develop a sense of good nutrition and healthy eating habits for life. While the “clear your plate” mentality is an idea many parents grew up with, it may lead to overeating that can be prevented by allowing kids to stop eating when satisfied.
Take them in for a nutritional checkup with a dietitian!