We can all agree that the festive season is a crazy time of year – presents to buy, parties galore, Christmas performances, work drinks….the list goes on! And in the midst of this craziness, it’s normal for usual routines to go out the window – but that can lead to unhealthy behaviours for ourselves and our little ones. The “treat” foods start to become “daily foods” and cupboards are filled with more “party food” than usual! Karina Savage from Smart Bite shares six tips for keeping kids healthy these holidays.
1. Keep the colour coming!
Homemade fruit and yohgurt pops
Throw as many different coloured vegetables at your kids as you can! A range of different colours means the kids will be eating a range of different nutrients.
Try this: Turn a side salad into the main event at dinner or lunch, and make it lots of fun by getting the kids involved in the creation! Pre- prepare little individual bowls filled with a large variety of ingredients like baby spinach, chopped cos lettuce, grated carrot, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, snow peas, cheese, haloumi cheese, hard-boiled egg, tuna, beetroot, nuts, seeds, olives, corn, roasted veggies. Get them to fill their own bowl with the mixture of their choice and then top with yummy dressing (eg. extra virgin olive oil and a good, tasty vinegar such as balsamic). Owning their own salad will make them much more likely to eat and enjoy it!
2. Make sure they move their bodies!
Children need to be active for 60 minutes EVERY DAY. Being involved in activities will not only get them moving, but can also teach them lifelong skills such as teamwork, and helps to keep them on a schedule. Limiting “screen time” is also very important to help encourage them to get physical.
Try this: Keep your family active by going on evening walks to look out for Christmas lights in your area. I have fond memories of this on a warm summer night – I was always on the look- out for that yummy ripe nectarine hanging over the fence just waiting to be picked!
3. Get baking
If you’re worried about the constant sweet treats being offered to your child over the Christmas break, start making more of your own cookies, muffins or cakes. You can bring them to parties with you. A homemade option is usually much better for little bodies than shop bought treats!
Try this: Encourage your child to look up their own ‘healthy’ version of their favourite recipe, then create and bake it together.
4. Stick to a schedule
While it can be nice to slip into the “holiday time zone”of a slower pace, summer time can mean falling into bad habits of sleeping in, watching TV and staying up late. Kids do thrive on structure, keeping some level of “normality” will actually help with regulating mealtimes by discouraging mindless snacking, and will help to make the transition back to school a lot easier.
Try this: Use a calendar or noticeboard (displayed in a prominent place) to encourage the family to keep track of their day-to-day and their schedules.
5. Out of sight, hopefully out of mind!
When shopping, try to leave as much junk as you can on the supermarket shelf. But when sugary foods do make it into your cupboards, they need to be treated as ‘sometimes food’ and hidden from sight. By keeping these types of foods out of sight and out of reach, you’re removing the temptation to ask for them, and preventing kids from grabbing the food and munching on it when you’re not in the kitchen.
Try this: Have lots of good ‘healthy’ snack options available to make it easier for your children to eat well during the day. Fresh cut fruit, sliced vegetables with hummus or pesto, cubes of cheese, grainy crackers with peanut butter, nuts, yoghurt ice creams, homemade muffins or muesli biscuits, hard boiled eggs, tins of baked beans, baby corn, chopped cucumber in balsamic and oil dressing are all better choices.
6. Make water THE option ….and make it fun!
It’s very important for little ones to stay hydrated, so encourage your children to drink up! Often people mistake thirst for feeling hungry, so drinking water will also help regulate your kid’s appetites.
Try this: Water can be made fun and tastier by adding some fresh orange and lemon pieces, or adding some mint and cucumber.
