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The NHS says 鈥榗hildren whose parents encourage them to be active and eat well are more likely to stay a healthy weight and grow up healthy.鈥 Studies like this have also shown that primary-aged children who eat a healthy breakfast do well at school.

It鈥檚 can be hard enough getting something healthy into our own bellies, so how do we make it easy and affordable to do the same with our kids, whatever their age? Often half the battle is helping our kids understand why eating a range of healthy foods - and not as many sweets and snacks - is important.

Here to help is Priya Tew - a dietitian who features on 成人快手1鈥檚 Eat Well for Less. With three children of her own, she鈥檚 learned a few hacks for helping her kids to understand food and eat more healthily all year round.

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1. Let them help themselves

A child eating broccoli

Priya says: 鈥淚 believe children are born with an innate sense of knowing what is good for them.鈥 We can capitalise on that - by offering a range of healthy foods, but letting the children make some decisions for themselves.

There are four main food groups our children need each day: starchy carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables, dairy (or appropriate substitutes) and protein. Priya advises鈥

  • Offer a range of foods

鈥淧ut a range of balanced, nutritious foods on the table. It鈥檚 important to offer a variety of food - don鈥檛 get stuck in the rut of only eating the same veg!

  • Let them plate up

鈥淗ave the food out on the table so the children can help themselves, or ask them where they want it on their plate before you dish it up. They can then set their plate out in the way they want.

  • Offer food in different ways

鈥淭ry cutting it differently into shapes or cooked in a different way. For example, some of my children will eat courgettes if they are roasted in breadcrumbs, but not just in a stir fry.鈥 You can also try making their plate look extra colourful, with a wide variety of fruit and veg.

  • Be a good role model

鈥淒emonstrate healthy eating yourself. Sit down and eat with the children, showing them you enjoy a variety of different foods - fruit and veg, grains and proteins.鈥

Priya adds: 鈥淭ry not to put too much pressure on the child. Even if they don鈥檛 eat what is put out, you鈥檙e showing them different types of vegetables. It can take a long time for them to try something, so even one mouthful is a success. Give little bits of encouragement along the way.鈥

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2. Get them involved

Mum and child in kitchen

Priya says: 鈥淕et them cooking and preparing food as soon as you can. You are more likely to eat something when you鈥檝e helped make it.鈥

Here are some ways you can do that鈥

  • Meal planning

鈥淚t sounds complicated, but just ask the child what kind of meal they want to eat this week. My youngest will say the same answer every time - 鈥榩asta鈥. Then I鈥檒l be more specific: 鈥榃hat vegetable do you want to go with it? What new things can we try?鈥

  • Choosing recipes

鈥淚 can give my ten-year-old a recipe book or stick her on a pre-vetted website and say: 鈥楧o you think you can find a new recipe that we can try this week?鈥 I will find the websites I feel comfortable and safe with, and I will be cooking as she鈥檚 doing it, so I鈥檓 close at hand.

  • Setting aside a particular time

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need to be actively cooking with your child every day. Find a day in the week or at the weekend. I have three children, so I have one day per child. Life gets busy - so you could just do some baking at the weekend.

  • Laying the table

鈥淚 have one child who likes to set the table. Even laying the table and making the table environment feel welcoming helps involve the kids.鈥

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3. Let them shop with you

A girl holding carrots in front of her eyes

After you鈥檝e made a meal plan, the next stage is buying the ingredients. Many children love shopping and choosing things - and it鈥檚 a great way to sneak in some education too.

  • Shop local

Priya says: 鈥淚 like going to the local fruit and veg shop, going around talking about the different veg. I let them choose something different they want to try. It doesn鈥檛 matter if they don鈥檛 like it, it鈥檚 about being safe to experiment and try different things.

  • Go frozen

鈥淔rozen can be just as nutritious as fresh versions, so get in a range of frozen veg. That can be really useful as it also saves waste - you can just grab a few handfuls from the freezer.

  • Use everything

鈥淢ake use of the freezer. If you have leftover veg - roast them and put them in tupperware, then use them with pasta or as a side dish another time.

  • Shop together online

"If you鈥檝e already got a recipe in mind, you can sit with your child and choose the foods you need online. Younger children enjoy pressing the buttons and can learn the names of different fruit and veg, whilst older children will feel like they鈥檙e in control!"

Priya adds: 鈥淭hink about the mealtime environment too. Try not to make it stressful, so the child can see it as just getting together and having a chat.鈥

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4. Help them learn about nutrition

A girl holding up some broccoli and a donut

Children will be learning about nutrition in school. In Key Stage 2 in England and Wales (ages 7 to 11) children will learn about different food groups and eating a balanced diet.

At secondary school, children will learn about preparing and cooking food, as well as the nutrients our bodies need to keep us healthy. You can help support their learning with positive conversations around things like eating enough fruit and veg.

  • Keep it fun

Priya says: 鈥淚t鈥檚 about coming up with little messages about things. I might say 鈥榗arrots are good for your eyesight鈥, or 鈥楶opeye used to eat spinach for big muscles鈥. Make it positive, fun and amusing, so it will stick in their heads.

  • Tailor your message

鈥淚鈥檝e got a child who鈥檚 into super heroes, so I will talk about the Green Giant on a sweetcorn tin. Or I鈥檒l use rhymes, like this one: 鈥業 eat my peas with honey; I've done it all my life. It makes the peas taste funny, But it keeps them on the knife!鈥

  • Think seasonal

鈥淭each them about the seasons - that different things come up at different times of the year. It鈥檚 also about knowing how long it takes for things to grow, and that it鈥檚 not that simple - there鈥檚 quite a lot of work in it.

  • Pick or grow your own

鈥淐hildren love going to pick things, or even better is to grow your own and let them pick them. It doesn鈥檛 have to be complicated - you can try tomato plants and runner beans in pots on a balcony. You don鈥檛 need a massive garden to do anything.

  • Eat the rainbow

鈥淭alk about eating a rainbow. For example: 鈥榊ou can鈥檛 just eat carrots because they are orange, our bodies need green and red and yellow and purple鈥' This means making sure you have a large variety of fruit and vegetables in your diet, with lots of different colours on your plate each day."

成人快手 Food have some great eat the rainbow ideas on their site.

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5. Help them to understand their own bodies

A family eating fruit and vegetables together

As adults, if we listen to our bodies, most of us know when we鈥檙e hungry and when we鈥檙e full. But sometimes we can take that choice away from our children without really meaning to - for example, by making them finish everything on their plate when they鈥檙e already full.

  • Help them tune in

鈥淕et them to listen to their fullness and hunger. Ask them, 鈥榃hat does it feel like?鈥 It鈥檚 important we keep them listening to their hunger and fullness cues.

  • Gently reset their bodies

鈥淪ome children can get used to large portions of sweets, so sometimes we need a chat and a reset. Say things like, 鈥楾oo many sweet things are not good for our bodies鈥. Teach them long term how to regulate their own appetite.

  • It鈥檚 okay to have some treats

鈥淚t鈥檚 about balancing their snacks, and saying, 鈥楽weets won鈥檛 keep you full up, it tastes delicious, but you need something substantial alongside it. Let鈥檚 put carrots and hummus, or apple and peanut butter with it. So, you鈥檝e got protein with fruit and veg, to help keep you full.鈥

Priya Tew
Image caption,
Priya Tew
  • Understand your child鈥檚 individual needs too

鈥淚 have one child who always wants an apple after school, and another who needs something like a piece of toast, otherwise he鈥檚 really hungry. He needs something like toast and peanut butter.鈥

Ultimately, this is about arming your kids with the tools they need to make healthy choices and thrive. It鈥檚 not necessarily an easy journey, but it is one you can enjoy together.

Priya concludes: 鈥淪ome parents can get understandably quite disheartened - you鈥檝e spent time and hard effort and your kids are not eating a range of foods. But don鈥檛 give up, keep trying."

鈥淧arenting is hard - we don鈥檛 always get it right. When teaching kids about food and nutrition, it鈥檚 just doing your best and staying as positive and full of encouragement as you can.鈥

Priya Tew
Image caption,
Priya Tew
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