How to Build the Best Healthy Eating Habits
At New Stars Dance School, we believe in the importance of a nutritious, balanced diet. Healthy eating habits are crucial for maintaining a healthy lifestyle for both adults and kids. In fact, it is even more important that kids eat healthily to make sure they grow and develop as they should. Healthy food gives kids lasting energy for their dance classes that will help them to reach their full potential. The thought of building healthy eating habits can be daunting, especially if you are trying to convince fussy children. To help you get started on your healthy eating journey, New Stars Dance School has come up with a few simple tips and tricks. These apply to both you and your kids!
- Baby steps – Going cold turkey on the usual treats may seem like a good idea, but this approach will rarely work with kids. It is far more effective to approach things gradually – why not swap an unhealthy snack for a piece of fruit? Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint
- Don’t force it – There is no point trying to make your kids (or yourself!), eat things they don’t want to. Forcing them to eat that vegetable they all hate will only make them want the junk food more. Instead, focus on giving them more of the healthy foods they do love, in place of other less nutritious options
- Learn some new skills – Building healthy eating habits creates a great opportunity to learn new skills such as cooking some nutritious recipes. This can also be a fantastic chance to bond with your kids as they get involved. Don’t worry if things don’t go right the first time, this is all about being relaxed and having fun
- Quality over quantity – When thinking about how to feed your family, try to focus on the quality of the food, rather than the quantity. It’s far better to count the number of nutrients in the food, rather than the number of calories. This approach is more sustainable and will naturally guide you to better, more satisfying choices
- Keep it balanced! – Having a healthy diet does not mean that you have to entirely cut out all “unhealthy” foods. Including treats every now and again is just as important as making sure you eat your fruits and vegetables. Enjoying your food and having a healthy mindset should be as much of a focus as what is on your plate