With diseases such as obesity on the rise it is no surprise that a main concern for parents is their child’s diet. Throw in some confusing advertising, label reading and trying to find the time to cook healthy meals that kids will eat – well, it can get overwhelming. Fortunately, there are several ways to simplify the process of getting your children to eat healthy without having to rearrange your lifestyle.

1. Use the Canada Food Guide.

Visit http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ and click on the Canada Food guide icon to create your own customized food guide.

2. Shop from the Edge of the store.

Grocery stores usually keep processed and pre-packaged meals in the centre aisles while foods such as meats, dairy, produce and grain products are kept toward the edges of the store. Challenge yourself to buy as many foods as possible that haven’t been processed.

3. Practice what you Preach

Not only are your children not going to eat foods that you won’t – they will be less likely try anything new. For your children to eat well, you will need to model healthy eating.

4. Be Patient

If your child won’t eat the broccoli or pushes his peas to the side of his plate don’t quit offering the food. On average a food will be offered 12 times before a child will even try it.

5. Eat together

Eating is a social behaviour. Your children are more likely to eat a healthy meal if they have their family around them. It is recommended that every family turn off their cell phones, computers and T.V’s and eat together 3-5 times per week.

Ultimately as parents it is up to us to teach our children healthy eating and exercising habits to prevent obesity and all the diseases that it brings. For more information about this topic or to obtain your copy of Canada’s Food and Nutrition Guide please contact us in our office.

***For more information about our organization or our programs please visit us at our Parent and Tot Centre located at the end of the walkway between Home Hardware and the Civic Centre, Main St. Carlyle or at our office in Falco Place #110, Main St. Carlyle. Call Lauren Hume at 453-2666. http://www.cfyprograms.wordpress.com ***