My Kids Don't Know I'm a Dietitian

Just like most mums, I struggle getting my kids to eat healthy (especially those dreaded veggies) and are often worried they are not getting enough of the good stuff!! The key is balance and moderation. Sure some nights it will be eggs on toast or even cereal but if you manage to hit my Top 3 Healthy Eating Guidelines 80% of the time, then you’re on the right track with your kids nutrition.

Be a Healthy Role Model – kids mimic everything we do, they are little sponges and from infancy they are also learning and observing our eating behaviours. A key way to help children learn healthy eating is to eat nutritious meals together as a family. So when you can, make time to eat together and serve up yummy family meals packed full of veggies. Your little ones are likely to eat more of the good stuff because they love participating in everything their parents and siblings do (although often they will insist on eating only from your plate, even though they have the same meal in front of them)!

Reduce Packaged Foods – keep food simple and whole. Go back to basics and choose foods close to their natural state. Whole foods are full of nutrients and giving your kids less packaged foods will also reduce lots of nasties that get added during processing like fat, salt, sugar and additives!
Eat a Rainbow – Make each meal or snack as colourful as possible. The colours in food, especially in our fruit and vegetables, all relate to different nutrients with different health benefits. So variety in your kid’s diet helps them to achieve their required nutrient intake. Also, if MasterChef has taught us anything, it’s that colour and texture in a meal are crucial, and you’ll be eliminated for a beige plate of food! So just like us (and the MasterChef judges) our little ones eat with their eyes first….colour, colour, colour!