About 4 years ago I did a deep dive into healthy habits, overall wellness, and seeking ways to keep myself healthy as a mom. Motherhood was really tiring, and I needed to keep up. I started to read about unhealthy additives, processed foods, and the connection they have to health. That motivated me to develop tips for teaching kids to live a healthy life.
My first instinct with my children was to make things as simple as possible. Simple meals so the dinner time prep was not complicated. Simple snacks that were easy to grab. Simple workouts so I could fit them in and stay consistent.
The problem is the simple snacks I was buying were typical kid food. Fish crackers, cheese snacks, gummies that all were high in processed ingredients, and other not-so-healthy things. It was so easy to just grab the big container of snacks, and have them with us on outings.
I ate them too. Example is everything in parenting.
This post is sponsored by Go A Little Nuts. All opinions are my own. Please view my disclosure.
I had to make changes to what I was eating if I was going to teach my kids to eat healthier. I could not ignore what I was reading about how certain foods could trigger issues in the body. As someone who has lived with health issues since I was a kid, it was time to get things in order. My body was telling me so.
I began the process of buying foods that were as minimally processed as possible. What I mean is: foods picked from a plant and put in a container. Snack foods that are actually as easy as cheese crackers to grab and enjoy on the go are available.
Setting the Example of Living a Healthy Life
What we do – our example – matters more — or at least as much as what we say — to our children. I think they hear us. I know they see us.
They see us when we tell them they need to eat healthy, and then we get a bowl of ice cream when they go to bed. They see us when we are eating the fish crackers, or sipping another cup of coffee, while telling them to eat their apple slices and carrot sticks.
So, it’s time for us as moms to self-evaluate. Recognizing where we can do better is not always fun, We can do it together! Eating healthier actually is fun, when you start feeling healthier in the process.
Tips for Teaching Kids to Live a Healthy Life
Start with the goals you have as a mom. What do you want your children to learn from you?
Healthy lifestyle choices?
An outlook of balance on life?
I am certain we all want our children to be healthy and not addicted to busy.
We can choose what we do for our kids. We can choose how we live. It is a big goal. But, small actions actually will help us reach it.
The Kids Learned to Eat Healthier
Healthy snacking is something our kids need to see us do. Or, if you don’t snack, making healthy food choices is something we can do, starting today.
- Grabbing snack packets of Go A Little Nuts walnuts is a positive action step.
- Eating salads for lunch to get a hefty dose of vegetables is an action step.
- Making more foods at home, or cooking dinner from scratch with simple recipes, are action steps.
Our kids will see us eat and snack with healthier options, and they will learn from our choices.
I started reminding the kids to have a vegetable or fruit with their lunch every day. I made a salad for myself.
Then, after repeating this for a couple weeks, I noticed my teenage son looking through the fridge one day at lunch. I asked him what he was looking for so intently. He said he was looking for a vegetable to go with his lunch.
He makes his own lunch every day. Every day, he makes sure he has a vegetable side with it. That feels like a win as a mom!
Yes, there will be days when the kids whine about having to add a “healthy food” to their plate. But, when we remind our kids what is best – and do our best to live that ourselves – they learn to follow.
This happened with exercise too. When I fit in a workout every morning, my kids started working out independently too. They would talk about needing to get some exercise and get outside. What we show, they really do see.
I am still learning. We learn together that we really can control how we eat and live. Those choices seem small but they are so important.
We do eat some unhealthy things at special events. At fairs or birthday parties the sweets are everywhere. But, if we make healthier choices at home, the treats are balanced out.
Bulk Up Nutrition Every Day
Quick, convenient snacks, that are healthy, are readily available. We can grab snack packs of walnuts like the high quality, healthy options from Go A Little Nuts. They are a “harvest to hand” snack.
Going right from the plant to your hand means nothing is added into the package but the nuts. Eating healthy does not mean we have to sacrifice convenience. The convenience of a pre-portioned package means you are one step closer to living a health-conscious lifestyle. You children will benefit from that example!
The convenient packaging of Go A Little Nuts walnuts are really helpful for creating quick, healthy meals and snacks. Add a package to yogurt to make a simple breakfast yogurt parfait.
Toss some into the blender with your snack time smoothie. This is a great way to get more fiber and protein into the kids too! Kids love smoothies.
Make a bowl of oatmeal and pour on a package of walnuts. You increase the nutrition content when you add in the healthy protein of nuts.
Put a couple packages into your purse for on-the-go snacks. Go A Little Nuts offers convenient recurring delivery, so your pantry will be stocked with healthy snacks.
When we nourish our bodies, we nourish our minds. That creates a positive impact on our families and communities.
I grab a package of Go A Little Nuts walnuts when I am heading out the door to take my kids to activities. The Go A Little Nuts snack packs are great for a quiet snack in the car while I wait. They are so fresh and delicious due to the sourcing. I can taste it. The walnuts almost taste sweet!
My kids really enjoy them too. I do share! But, teaching them to love healthy eating is a win. Sharing is easy then.
Pause for a second and take stock of the positive steps you take every day. We can make small changes – and it really is about balance. Yesterday we may have had extra dessert or an unhealthy snack.
So, today, we can choose a salad for lunch and a package of nuts for a snack. Go A Little Nuts snacks make that balance much easier to achieve.
Get Go A Little Nuts walnut snack packs delivered right to your door to stock a health-conscious pantry in time for back-to-school! The snack packs are perfect for after-school snacks or a grab-n-go snack for in the car ride to practice.
Get free shipping on your walnut snacks on the Go A Little Nuts Instagram page.
Find creative recipes and snack ideas over on Pinterest too.
What is your go-to quick snack that is also healthy? How do your kids do with eating healthy options at home?
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