I Hate Junk Food!

Said no child ever! Isn’t that every mother’s dream?  No, kids can’t even attempt to hate junk food.  And as parents it is way more difficult to sensitize our kids to avoid it. That is like mission impossible. But there are so many ways to limit the intake and include healthy options that even junk food looks like fun.

So first and foremost tip is- cutting down on your own intake of junk food. Kids learn by example. And it’s not fair to preach what you don’t practice. So minimize your intake of the pizzas and burgers and start having healthy balanced meals in front of your child. This way, they will understand that the food served is the right way to go and is good for their health.

Limit the junk food say once a week or once in ten days as the case maybe. Draw up a meal chart and choose them to highlight any day they want to have the junkies.

Don’t stack junk food at home. This has been my advice repeatedly and it works for our family. I off loaded the fridge and stacked it up with carrots, cucumbers. The moment my son opened the fridge and his favorite candy was not to be found, he asked for a carrot instead. So it works.

Stick to one junk food. Don’t offer fries and coke with the burger your son pleaded for. Stick to the burger and serve it with soup and salad. The fries can be given as a snack the next week. That too limited.

Replace maida with aata. There are lot many varieties of wheat noodles, noodles, pasta that can be added in your child’s diet. Instead of butter and oils, add cheese in the diet which is a source of protein too.

Add veggies like carrots, beans, broccoli and cabbage in burgers and noodles so that it fills their tummy as well as satisfies their taste buds.

However, do away with the sodas and the sugary drinks. They are extremely harmful for the health.

The right amount of serving size also helps in limiting the junk food intake. There is nothing called as ‘two burgers for lunch”. So limit the serving size and portions.

Make it fancy. Have you ever wondered why your kids crave for junk food? Taste is one aspect. The other is presentation. So fancy it up a bit. Use colorful plates and cutlery. Add salads and greens and soups as side dishes instead of fries and soda drinks. Serve to them as they are served in a restaurant and see them enjoy their meal.

Fruits are next best healthy option, so make them have a bowl of fruit with their pasta or pizza. So with two slices of pizza, this bowl of fruit might make you feel less guilty.

However, teaching your kids about the importance of a healthy diet should never end. So keep talking to them about eating right and being fit.