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You are what you eat. You may have heard this very frequently, and it is quite true. Your food habits reflect your lifestyle, health, and overall well-being. So, it is very important that your kids eat proper, well-balanced, and nutritional meals. Proper nutrition supports physical health and cognitive development and helps establish lifelong healthy eating habits.
You are not alone if you also struggle to include healthy food in your child’s diet. Most parents are in a similar situation due to hectic working hours and busy lifestyles, and so, convenience takes over nutrition. On top of that, children are stubborn and may not easily agree to swap their meals for healthier food options.
However, making small changes, like healthy food swaps for kids, can have a long-lasting impact on their health and lifestyle. Healthy food swaps for junk food are one of the easiest ways to improve your kids’ diet.
Continue reading for smart, easy, and healthy food swaps that will help you make tasty and nutritious snacks and meals for your children.
Smart Food Swaps Every Parent Should Know
When you are trying to make your kids eat healthier food, make small and gradual healthy food swaps to encourage them to eat better. This can include replacing sugary drinks with flavored water, low-salt vegetable chips instead of crisps, whole-grain rotis/tortillas instead of all-purpose flour, etc.
You Should Use Whole-Grain Items Rather Than White Bread or Rice
For a nutritious boost, move from refined white bread to whole-grain bread, tortillas, or rotis. Whole-grain bread offers more fiber, vitamins, and minerals compared to white bread, which loses many nutrients during processing.
Roti is an excellent whole-grain substitute for white bread or all-purpose flour tortillas. If you are wondering how to make roti, it is very easy to make rotis at home, and they are a much healthier swap for your kids. You can also use the roti as a base for any wraps.
You can Make Eating Fruits and Vegetables Fun!
Vegetables and fruits are essential for a well-balanced diet. If your kid is not eating vegetables, you can try making it fun for them by cutting the vegetables and fruits into fun shapes. Another thing you can do is sneak in the vegetables and fruits in their meals:
- You can add cooked carrots, zucchini, or pumpkin to the pasta or tomato sauce.
- You can add mashed bananas or grated apples to their pancake batter.
- You can also add roasted vegetables to lasagne and soups.
It is Easy To Make Their Fast Food Favorites at Home
Most takeout dishes are quite simple to make at home using better ingredients and making healthy swaps for kids. Cooking at home not only allows you to control what goes into your meals but also makes it fun for the whole family. Some of the things you can try making are:
- You can have a make-your-own-pizza night, where you put a lot of vegetables and lean proteins on the table for your kids to add to their pizza. You can do the same for a taco night or falafels also.
- Another great option is to make a quick vegetable stir fry with low-sodium soy sauce and brown rice. This is an excellent food swap for takeout Chinese food.
- If your kids love sub sandwiches, you can easily make them at home. Use whole-wheat bread loaf and include as many vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, lettuce, etc., as possible.
You should also encourage your kids to avoid eating junk snacks and sweets. Do not introduce them to snacks or keep them away from their sight so they are not tempted to eat junk snacks.
Give Your Kids Flavored Water Instead of Sodas
Everyone knows the importance of drinking sufficient water daily and staying hydrated. Adult bodies comprise 60% water, while children’s bodies contain up to 65% water. To keep our bodies hydrated, we must consume enough water.
To give plain old water a little taste and sweetness, you can add fresh fruits to it! This way, water will become more tasty, fruits will add more vitamins, and kids will get excited to drink such nice fruity water. So, swap their sodas for such fruity water. Some fruit infusions you can try are:
- Orange and basil for a very nice citrus and fresh flavor.
- Cucumber and mint for a refreshing feeling.
- Watermelon and mint to keep you cool and hydrated.
Let the Kids Have Natural Yogurt With Fresh Berries Instead of Flavored Yogurt
Another healthy food swap for your kids is giving them natural yogurt instead of flavored ones. Probiotics present in yogurts improve the digestive tract and help in the production of vitamins B12 and K. However, flavored yogurt has a lot of sugar and is not healthy.
Instead, give your kids natural yogurt topped with fresh berries or fruits for a tasty and healthy twist.
Give Kids Air-Popped Popcorn Instead of Chips
For a delightful and guilt-free crunch, try air-popped popcorn instead of oily potato chips. Did you know that popcorn is a complete grain that is low in calories and high in fiber, making it a healthy snack for the whole family? You can add herbs, spices, or even some Parmesan to add some flavor to the popcorn.
Make Zucchini Noodles Instead of Pasta
Use spiralized zucchini noodles, or “zoodles,” instead of regular pasta noodles to sneak in some additional vegetables. You can make zoodles using a spiralizer, a fun gadget for the kids, or you will also find them in your local grocery store. Because they are low in calories and carbs, zucchini noodles are a healthier substitute for pasta, making it ideal for families trying to eat healthily and reduce their intake of refined grains.
Serve the zucchini noodles with your favorite pasta sauce or put them in a stir-fry for a nutritious dinner, which is easy to make.
Making healthy and easy food swaps is essential when you are trying to get your kids to eat more nutrition-rich food. When you’re cooking at home, it’s easier to control ingredients and make smarter choices. Remember, every small change and healthy food swap has a bigger impact.
Children often learn by observing, so you even need to include such healthy changes in your lifestyle and adopt healthy food swaps for junk food. If you buy groceries more consciously and plan meals, making healthy food swaps for children will not seem overwhelming. When children eat a well-balanced diet every day, it goes a long way in improving and maintaining their health. Make some whole grain rotis today and enjoy healthier burritos made from rotis and filled with lean protein and vegetables.
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