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As parents we know that a balanced and healthy diet full of nutritional value will contribute to your child’s quality of life and set them for a healthier adulthood.

Life with kids can, however, get really busy, and kids can be fussy eaters so even if they are presented with a balanced meal, chances are they won’t eat it all. Working out the best way to ensure they are receiving the right nutrients in their diet can be tricky, so we have put together some tips and tricks to help you find the right balance.

Why is good nutrition so important?

Good nutrition is important for almost every facet of life. Adequate nutritional intake helps with:

• healthy brain development and enhanced concentration
• development and maintenance of strong and healthy teeth
• stable mood and energy levels
• decreasing the risk of serious diseases later in life such as obesity, heart disease, and memory loss
• creating healthy eating habits for future wellness
• enabling healthy life long weight maintenance

So it’s undeniable that adequate nutrition is essential, so how to make this happen in your family?

Tips for encouraging good nutrition

• Get the day off to a good start with a big healthy breakfast like eggs on toast or wholegrain toast with peanut butter each day.
• Educate your kids about nutrition, what it means, what foods are right, and what foods aren’t for a healthy body and mind.
• Show them what good nutrition looks like by example – don’t tell kids to eat a healthy meal only to sit down and eat an unhealthy meal yourself
• Make healthy food fun. Get kids involved in creating meals, teach them what foods go with what foods and create a fun looking meals together – like creating a face with pieces of fruit on top of porridge.
• Help the children plant veggies, herbs and fruit.  It is very satisfying for them to watch their work grow and then eat it once ready.
• Make a gradual switch away from processed sugar by reducing the amount in baking, and including more natural sugar like fruit or stevia to replace it if necessary.
• Make it easy for children to choose fruit or veges as their go-to snacks or desserts. Ideas are fruit in a bowl on the bench, washed beans, carrot, grapes, cut celery or melon in the fridge, and nuts in the cupboard. Making your own salted popcorn is fun too!
• Educate yourself about various foods and what is right and wrong for your body, so you can understand well about things like fats or sugars and lead by example.
• Have fun – add garnishes to meals to look like faces or animals or create a dessert without any processed sugar and don’t tell your family members to see if they notice the difference.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself or kids. We all have those days when we simply feel like eating a huge piece of cake or two. Don’t feel bad or pressured into making nutrition a massive focus in your life. It needs to be a natural part of your life and not something stressful. Each family is different, so make sure it works for your family in your own special way.

Including supplements and vitamins in your child’s diet

If you are worried about your child’s nutrition and whether they are getting the best out of their diet, we strongly suggest supplementing with vitamins. Multi-Vitamins can provide general support, and other specific vitamins can provide additional needed assistance.

Check the full range of Childlife Essentials supplements and vitamins to choose the right option for your child. ChildLife Essentials supplements help support your kids’ overall health and immunity. The natural formulas bridge the nutritional and environmental challenges and gaps in children’s diets.

Content supplied by ChildLife Essentials 

What is your top tip for getting adequate nutrients into your families diet?