Healthy eating habits

Healthy eating habits are often formed during childhood and can stay with us for life. For children five years of age and upwards, try our tips to encourage them to develop healthy food habits!

1. Ensure that your child is eating at least five portions of vegetables and fruits each day. Children’s 5 A DAY portion sizes are slightly smaller than adults. A child’s portion is roughly the amount that fits into their hand.

• When your child wants a sweet sugary snack, offer them fruits that are naturally sweet, such as satsuma segments, melon slices, strawberries, pineapple chunks, pears or grapes
• Try keeping a colourful fresh fruit bowl on display in a prominent position so it is easy for your child to see and reach
• Cut up carrot batons, cucumber and colourful pepper sticks, celery and baby corn and leave them on a plate in the fridge at an accessible level for your child
• At meal times aim for two-thirds of your child’s plate to be filled with vegetables, wholegrains and beans with only a third (or less) with animal foods, like fish, poultry, meat or dairy
• Always offer a yoghurt with a piece of fruit after a meal instead of a high-sugar, creamy or cake-based dessert

2. Get your child into the habit of starting the day with a healthy breakfast. Good examples are porridge with fruit, wholemeal toast with peanut butter or a banana or wholegrain cereal with low-fat yoghurt and berries.

3. Help make it clear that cakes, and other confectionery that they may like, are an occasional food. Try to move these into a cupboard that is not used very often so that they are not the first things your child sees when they walk into the kitchen.

4. Ensure that your child is not drinking a lot of sugary drinks such as cola, lemonade and high-sugar squash:

• Restrict the quantity of high-sugar drinks you buy at the supermarket
• Explain that the sugar in these drinks damages their teeth and can lead to weight gain
• Encourage your child to drink more water; aim for about 6-8 cups of water (200ml cups) a day
• Get them used to taking a small bottle of tap water with them whenever they go out

5. Encourage your child to eat more lean poultry and try to include oily fish in their diet twice a week. Eating a lot of red meat is associated with a higher risk of bowel cancer, so it is sensible not to let your child get into the habit of eating large quantities.

Restrict red meat meals to no more than twice a week and bulk the plate up with vegetables, salads and starchy foods like potatoes.

Processed meats such as ham, bacon, salami, hamburgers and many sausages might be easy options, but they should be avoided almost always. It’s better to choose alternatives such as lean meat, eggs, low-fat cheese or houmous. Find out more about how WCRF UK’s Recommendations for Cancer Prevention relate to children.

6. Try to swap refined starchy foods such as white bread, white rice and white pasta for nutritious wholegrain alternatives, such as wholemeal bread, brown rice and wholemeal pasta. This small change will keep your child feeling fuller for longer and help prevent them from craving sugary snacks in-between meals.

7. Children over the age of two do not need to drink full-fat milk if they are eating a balanced diet, so reduce the fat content in your child’s diet and help to prevent unhealthy weight gain by swapping to semi-skimmed milk for cereals, drinks and smoothies.

8. Be aware of the salt level of your child’s diet. The daily intake of salt should be no more than:

• 2g a day for ages 1 to 3 years
• 3g a day for 4 to 6 years
• 5g a day for ages 7 to 10 years

There is lots of ‘hidden’ salt in processed foods such as crisps, soups, bread, biscuits, pizza, ham and breakfast cereals. Get into the healthy habit of not adding salt to your cooking. Try to use herbs and spices for flavour, check labels for salt content and choose reduced- or no-added-salt foods.

Try some of our healthy recipes or get your children cooking with the help of the Great Grub Club!