Healthy habits Now you can understand that good health is a blend of physical and emotional well-being. Besides adequacy of food in terms of nutrients, school children need to develop some healthy habits – Establish sensible eating habits: Children at this age sometimes turn into munching machines glued to the TV and having no physical activity. Radha has an innovative solution for a situation like this. She prepares a bowl of fruit and vegetable salad with lots of lettuce leaves, some nuts/sprouts/boiled chick peas/steamed beans or carrots/ tofu or paneer chunks, adds some interesting dressing and serves this in plenty.
She keeps changing the combinations giving them fancy names. Encourage physical activity: Healthy eating and physical activity go hand in hand with moderate activity of – minutes promotes good health. Limit television watching and encourage sports. Children should be encouraged to take part in extracurricular activities of school and community.
Parents have to be a model on active lifestyle and healthy eating patterns. Ensure food safety: Children should be trained to eat under hygienic conditions. Food consumed should be clean and safe before eating. They must wash their hands, fruits, and vegetables before eating.
My neighbours Kanta involves her children in washing, cutting, mixing and cooking (under her supervision). It has become their habit to prepare and eat food under hygienic conditions. Ensure control over quantity intake: Children of – years can gauge how hungry they are. We must never force them for more if they do not want to eat.
Doing so will override their feeling of fullness. Food should not be used as a way of showing love. Besides, skipping a meal is no problem as long as the child is healthy. But this should not be made a habit.