From junk foods to video games, kids these days are bombarded with all sorts of unhealthy influences. Therefore, it’s more important than ever to instill in kids a sense of healthy lifestyle habits. From proper nutrition to adequate hydration to staying active, a healthy lifestyle in a young child will set the stage for a healthy lifestyle in the future. If you’re looking for fun, easy ways to keep your kid healthy and happy, check out my favorite tips below for encouraging healthy habits in kids!

Healthy Habits for Kids

1. Eat breakfast: It’s crucial for your child to eat breakfast everyday, because it helps maintain adequate energy levels throughout the day.

2. Drink water: Make sure water is the main drink consumed with meals. Keep juice and soda aside as special treats. Encourage your child to hydrate first with water when they are thirsty- and encourage extra water drinking when the kids are exercising or when it’s a hot day outside!

3. Involve kids in meal prep: Kids are much more likely to eat healthy foods when they are involved in cooking/preparing the meal. For example, make a healthy pizza on a whole-grain bread with your child. Have your kid help you spread the tomato sauce, sprinkle the low-fat cheese, and place some turkey pepperoni on top. When the pizza comes out of the oven, your child will most likely want to taste her own creation!

4. Avoid eating or snacking in front of the TV: Even though it may be tempting to let kids eat while in front of the TV, avoid this temptation because it can encourage kids to eat past the point of satiety. Kids will be more likely to overeat when they are distracted by their favorite shows and cartoon characters. Instead, have meal times at the table with your kids and encourage meaningful conversations about everyone’s day.

5. Make eating colorful: Encourage kids to regularly eat colorful fruits and vegetables- it will be more likely to provide a wider array of vitamins and minerals. Plus, kids love bright colors, so it can be fun for them to eat all the colors of the rainbow!

6. Get active with your kids: Determine which sports your child may be drawn to, and encourage them to pursue those activities on a regular basis. Set aside a few days a week, and spend an hour or so at the park with your child. Let your child ride his bike, play with a frisbee, or just run around. The regular exercise will be great for his body and his mind!

7. Reduce the fat content of meals: Choose low-fat cheese and skim milk. Select lean cuts of meat. Prepare poultry without the skin. Avoid overly processed foods and prepackaged meals.

8. Promote healthy snacks: Kids love to snack in between meals, but it’s important to provide snack options that are nutritious and healthy. Avoid junk foods like potato chips, candy and soda. Encourage healthier options like fruits, veggies, nuts (if kids are old enough!), whole-grain crackers and yogurt. Chobani has a Tots and a Kids line of products that are nutritious and fun for little kids!

Here is what I love about Chobani. Chobani yogurt is always made with only natural ingredients, which is perfect for growing kids. Plus, it has less sugar than other popular yogurt brands geared toward kids. The resealable pack is ideal for making snack time convenient and mess-free; if your child leaves some over, simply close it up and pop it back into the fridge for later! We have always loved Chobani yogurt in our house, and we will continue to stock up on it, as yogurt is such a healthy, satisfying and waist-friendly snack for both kids & adults! If you want to check out Chobani products, view their complete product line here!

I hope this post has provided some useful tips for you on ways to encourage healthy habits in young kids. If you have any ideas that I forgot to include, be sure to mention them in the Comments below!

Disclosure: This post was not sponsored by Chobani. I didn’t receive any compensation or sample products from Chobani. All opinions are 100% my own.

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