When it comes to raising healthy kids, one common concern we hear from parents, is whether their kids are getting the right foods they need to thrive. Whether you’re transitioning from boob to food, or dealing with fussy eaters, we know it can be extremely stressful and overwhelming raising young children.
Here at Mungbean Health, we are always supporting busy, stressed-out parents with their little ones. We are so passionate about good nutrition and educating our clients on how they can supercharge their child’s diet and lifestyle so they can thrive for the years to come! Today we are here to share with you some of our top tips to help your kids get and stay healthy. Plus, we have included some of our favourite hacks to help you overcome those fussy eaters.
Top 5 Tips for Raising Healthy Kids
Limit sugar and processed food as much as possible!
Consumption of sugary, processed foods has dramatically increased over the years. Unfortunately, most of these foods contain no nutritional value, plus nasty chemicals and preservatives, which have been shown to negatively impact children’s behaviour and health. The goal when it comes to diet is to provide balanced meals made up of healthy proteins, fats, and complex carbohydrates. Eating a variety of colourful vegetables and fruits are going to provide your little ones with lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to help supercharge their health!
Feed the good bugs in the gut!
Our good bugs, AKA beneficial bacteria are so important to our overall health. These beneficial bacteria help to build a strong immune system and prevent frequent infections. Some factors that can reduce the healthy levels of beneficial bacteria include frequent exposure to antibiotics, high sugar diets and formula fed babies. To improve the levels of these good bugs, incorporate lots of fibre (prebiotics) found in fruit, vegetables, nuts seeds and wholegrains. Also include fermented foods (probiotics) found in unsweetened probiotic yoghurt, kombucha, kefir and sauerkraut. You can also speak with your Naturopath to get the best quality probiotic supplement.
Make sleep a priority!
Sleep is such an important part of anyone’s lifestyle. There is now so much research showing that kids who get enough sleep have improved attention, behaviour, learning, memory and overall mental and physical health! Establishing a consistent bedtime routine is key to healthy sleep habits. As soon as the sun goes down, start to wind down the household with a routine that includes bath time, followed by book time and a limit of screen time.
Less screen time and more time outside!
Screen time and technology can definitely be part of a healthy lifestyle when they are balanced with other activities including physical activity and spending time in nature. When your child is using technology, it’s a good idea to have short screen time sessions and take regular breaks. Get your child involved in physical and outdoor play, creative play, and socialising wherever possible. Getting up and moving around is vital for your child’s energy levels, development, sleep, and overall health and wellbeing.
Healthy Hydration
Water is essential to health. It helps flush toxins from the body, maintain healthy circulation, promote strong muscle contractions, facilitate digestion, and prevent dehydration.
The recommended amount of water for each age group is as follows:
- Infants: breast milk is sufficient
- Children 1-3 years: 4 cups a day
- Boys and girls 4-8 years: 5 cups a day
- Girls 9-13 years: 7 cups a day
- Boys 9-13 years: 8 cups a day
5 Tips for Parents of Fussy Eaters
Fussy eaters are a big concern from many parents. We often hear that our little clients only eat white/bland foods and flat out refuse to eat meat or veggies. So, we thought we would also share some of favourite mealtime tips to combat fussy eaters.
Get your children involved in the kitchen!
Make your kids involved in the kitchen and get them excited about their food and what it can provide them with nutritionally. This is going to create positive life choices around their nutrition and build a healthy relationship with their food. Get them involved in the picking, peeling, and cooking of veggies they are going to eat. The aim is to make it fun and exciting!
When in doubt, add it to a smoothie!
Smoothies can be a parents best friend. Most kids love smoothies, as they taste like a sweet treat. Make up a delicious green or berry smoothie and add in lots of fruit, veggies, protein powder, gluten free oats, and coconut yogurt. You can even sneak in your kids’ vitamins and supplements! Switch it up and make a fun smoothie bowl too!
Clear distractions!
Clear the table of any distractions. This includes turning the TV off and keeping toys out of sight. This will help your children focus on eating at mealtimes and reinforces a mealtime routine. This also encourages kids to pay attention to their innate hunger and fullness cues.
Disguise the healthy stuff!
Sometimes when all else fails, we need to ‘disguise’ the healthy stuff. Load up your main meals with lots of veggies, by blending them up and sneaking them into soups, sauces, pastas, risottos etc.
Add in the Children’s Blend by Foraged for You
This is absolutely one of our favourite children’s supplements out there! We love it so much because it provides a powerful source of nutrients from real food! It’s suitable for any little one aged 7 months and older and formulated with beautiful wholefood ingredients to support growth and development, as well as immune and gut function. The beauty of this blend is you can either drink it with water, juice or in a smoothie. Or even mix it into your kiddies’ favourite bliss balls or slices.
