Healthy Eating in Early Years Settings
Nowadays, Kids seem to be obsessed with eating junk food. From sugary treats to all kinds of unhealthy savories are being consumed at a high rate by children all over the world. According to research, 36.3% of children and adults aged 2–19 years consumed fast food on a given day. Poor diet is hazardous for health as it decreases essential vitamins and minerals in our body leading to slow growth and health problem in the future. Hence, developing healthy eating habits in early youth is imperative for all. Not only it creates a strong foundation for children, but it also keeps an entire household safe and strong in the long run.
Eating and healthy diet is something that is promoted at the Mosaic Nursery in JLT from an early age. Children are taught the benefits of consuming healthy food by a wide range of activities. Let’s have a look at how you can ensure a healthy and a more nutritious lifestyle for your young ones.
Practice Seed-to-Table Process:
Children love to feel important and heard. They automatically start acting more responsible they know that they are contributing to the greater good. Make them a part of the genesis of the process so that they become more involved in their diet and health. Now, you might ask how is that possible? Well, it’s quite simple. Take them with you on your next visit to the local community garden. You can start your own seasonal garden in your backyard or even patio. Some renowned Playschools in Dubai also conduct plantation activities to help kids understand the entire process of growing organic food from scratch. So as the plants grow to maturity, kids not only get excited about eating the fruit of their own labor but become more interested in nutrition.
void Sugary Items:
Do not introduce fizzy drinks and sugary snacks into your child’s diet. Such unhealthy items can easily take a toll on your child’s health making them extra cranky and moody. High levels of sugar cause interference with neurotransmitters which leads to depression and anxiety in children. Therefore, try to keep that temptation at bay for as long as possible. Instead, introduce them to natural and organic juices and drinks which are enriched with vitamins and minerals.
Be a role model:
Actions speaks louder than words. So, whatever you want your child to learn must be practiced by the adults around them. You can tell your children about the significance of a healthy diet all day, however, your efforts might not have a strong impact until they don’t see you living the healthy lifestyle yourself. leading by example develops an inherent call to live a healthy lifestyle from early youth to adolescence and beyond. Leading by example creates an inherent call to live a healthy routine from early childhood and beyond. Similarly, parents should encourage the older children to set an example for their younger siblings within the household.
Encourage Healthy Eating at School
No matter how many healthy habits you follow at home, your child will be exposed to outside dietary influences when they leave the house. As they will spend a great amount of time at one of Dubai’s Playschools, they will pick up a great many snacking ideas. Hence both educators and parents need to have a brief discussion about the nutritional options available as school lunch. If your child brings a lunchbox, resist the urge to opt for convenient processed pre-packaged meals. Plan beforehand and prepare healthy lunches.
