Promoting healthy eating habits and lifestyle at home

Developing healthy eating habits is the first step to a healthy lifestyle and prevention of obesity.   This is why it is extremely important for you as the parent to set a good example.

Tips for Setting a Good Example

1.  Try often to eat together as a family. Make sure to serve vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein, and milk or substitute at meals.

a feeding guide

A Feeding Guide

2.  Try new foods whenever possible. I love preparing foods from different countries. I collect cooking books from places we’ve visited. I challenge my kids to try the typical foods of the country wherever we go. Their reward is that they get to choose their favorite souvenir.

3.  Enroll your child on a cooking class or camp. My daughter, who is a very picky eater, loves to drink “the green monster smoothie” made with kale and spinach. She learned to prepare it and tried it for the first time with a group of friends at camp.

4.  Avoid making negative comments about foods. It is especially important that you talk ahead of time to your older kids about this, before trying new foods.

5.  Make exercise a fun activity.  Pick your favorite physical activity and do it together.

Listen to my podcast (see above menu) and read the following references for more information about this topic.

References:

  1. For Parents:  Healthy eating  http://www.kidshealth.org
  2. Healthy Tips:  Promoting Healthier Habit Tips  http://www.nourishinteractive.com
  3. Be a healthy role model for children:  Ten tips for setting good examples  http://www.choosemyplate.gov

About Nutrition Counseling

I have been working with youth, adults, and families for over 18 years. I received my Master’s degree in Nutrition Education from Framingham State University. My work has been in a variety of settings including an outpatient setting were I worked for the Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infant and Children, counseling clients at several private medical offices, working with adolescents with eating disorders, and adult patients with heart disease and weight management in hospitals. I completed a Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and training on Motivational Interviewing. I am a Massachusetts and New Hampshire State licensed Registered Dietitian and a member of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
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