Preschool to Preteen: Model Positive Habits
For this age group, maintaining positive habits at home is especially important.
Make sure every bite your child eats is as nutrient dense as possible. Allowing them to fill up on non-nutritive calories (like too much juice for instance) can displace the nutritious foods they would have otherwise eaten.
Choose whole grains and whole grain products (breads, pastas, brown rice, bulgur, oatmeal) instead of refined grain products.
Limit access to "junk" foods, but provide some alternative sweet options. Making all sweets forbidden may only intensify a child's attraction to them.
Model good nutrition choices. If you choose fries instead of a baked potato, you can't expect them to do the opposite.
Fill nutrition gaps with a range of healthy snacks. What your child eats between meals is just as important as what is eaten during meals.
Discourage the habit of eating and watching television simultaneously. Consider limiting television, which has been linked with childhood and adolescent obesity.
For older children and adolescents concerned about their weight, teach them that physical activity (rather than dieting) is the best route for weight loss.
Teens: Keep the Benefits in Mind
Help teens stay healthy by explaining the benefits of eating well. Use motivating examples, like improved performance in school, sports, or their favorite creative outlet.
Teens need more vitamin C, calcium and iron than adults.
Getting enough calcium, along with magnesium and vitamin D, is important for bone support.
For healthy skin, teens need lots of nutrients, water, fiber and essential fats—and less sugar and highly processed foods and drinks.
Teens who eat on the run, are active in sports or are concerned about weight should consider a good supplement to help fill the gaps in their nutrient intake.
The teen years can be very stressful. Stress can wreak havoc on skin, moods and eating habits. Help your teen learn coping skills for stress.
Nutrition Tips for Young Vegetarians
For children, whose bodies are still developing and who may consume a limited variety of foods compared to most adults, many experts recommend paying special attention to potential dietary weaknesses that may come from consuming only plant-based foods.
Nutrients to keep tabs on include: protein, iron, B vitamins, zinc, iodine and essential fatty acids, as well as calcium and vitamin D.
Remember, eating vegetarian doesn't automatically mean healthy eating. Help your child identify their favorite nutrient dense foods for optimal health.
