Like most parents, you want your child to grow up on nutritious food. As such, it is your responsibility to provide your child with healthy food choices. The first step is to plan on what types of food to feed your child with. This way, you can shop wisely the next time you go grocery shopping. To make things easier, plan your shopping a week ahead so you know exactly what types of food to buy. This will help fulfill your child’s nutritional needs and manage your shopping budget at the same time. Here are some other suggestions to help you make healthy food choices:
Know What Your Child Needs. Know what your child’s nutritional needs are. Make sure your child’s diet consists of a healthy supply of cereals, cerealbased products, tubers, vegetables and fruits, meat and milk.
Choose Properly. Whenever possible, fresh is best. Look at the appearance of the fruits and vegetables you are buying. If it is yellowing or bruised, pick another one. You can purchase processed foods as well, which can come in handy if you have a busy schedule. Just remember to choose healthier options when picking processed food. For example, if you are buying canned tuna, look for tuna which is packed in water or brine (salt water) instead of oil. Your child does not need to consume additional oil from the product. Learn to read the labels so that you know exactly what the ingredients are.
Go Straight Home. There is no point in spending another hour or so in the shopping area while your groceries are being kept in the car. Leaving your groceries in the car will only result in food that is not as fresh anymore. If you plan to catch a movie or go for dinner, leave the grocery shopping till the end.
| What to Look Out for When Grocery Shopping | |
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Fruits and vegetables. Choose a rainbow of colourful fruits and vegetables to get the most out of its freshness and variety. Breads, cereals and pasta. Choose the least processed foods, such as regular oatmeal instead of instant oatmeal. Remember, the less sugar, the better. |
Meat, fish and poultry. Be sure to choose lean cuts of meat. Opt for skinless poultry. Ask the butcher to remove the skin for you. Watch your portion sizes. Canned and dried foods. Choose vegetables without added salt. Look for foods which are packed in water. |
Take Your Child Shopping
It is a good idea to bring your child with you the next time you go shopping. Here’s what to remember while shopping with your child.
- Introduce your child to the world of food. This way, he knows exactly what is out there and what is good for him.
- Let him make healthy choices. For example, let him pick one out of three fruit types so that he can pick the one he enjoys most.
- Get his suggestions when planning your shopping list. With this, he can learn why it is important to make healthy food choices and how he can make them.
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