In present-day India, an alarming 12.5 million children aged 5-19 years are obese, while over 1.4 million of them are severely malnourished. One of the main factors contributing to this issue is unhealthy eating habits. It can lead to Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and GI disorders, among other long-term health conditions.
Researching and investing in high-quality organic food for children's health is the ultimate solution. You may argue, "How to get kids to eat healthy, organic food? It's not exciting for them." Fret not! By the end of the article, you will have seven actionable tips for raising healthy eaters!
What are the many benefits of organic food for kids?
Before you teach your kids about organic food, you must know its benefits. Then, if your curious little one asks too many questions, you will have satisfactory replies. Here are three benefits you should know:
- Safety: Organic flour, millet, pulses, fruits, vegetables, and dairy are free from pesticides, insecticides, artificial additives, preservatives, hormones, antibiotics, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
- Nutrition: Organic food is richer in nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, that help promote proper growth, development, and long-term wellness in children.
- Environmental sustainability: Organic food for kids helps them contribute to the environment in many ways, such as reducing soil erosion, conserving water, lowering carbon footprint, and enhancing biodiversity.
How to get kids to eat healthy, organic food?
We bring you seven organic food tips to get your kids excited about healthy eating:
- Use creative ways to teach kids about organic food
If you continue lecturing on organic food choices and healthy eating habits for children, your kids will likely get bored and never follow your advice. With little ones, you need to get your creative juices flowing. Does your child enjoy reading picture books? Get them books about food origins, gardening, organic farming, family cooking, and healthy eating. Do they like watching cartoons? You will find plenty of educational videos and animated films around this topic. Watching their favourite character make healthy food choices will motivate them to follow in their footsteps! You can also take your children to local organic farms or nearby farmers' markets to practically show them the farm-to-table journey.
- Discuss the benefits of organic food for kids
Kids are fast learners, so they will quickly adapt and change if you teach them something new. Explain to them the differences between organic and non-organic food. Show them an organic farm versus a conventional farm and fresh produce in a farmers' market versus stale produce in a mall. Tell them how good organic food is for children's health. Finally, remember to mention how their choices will benefit Mother Earth too!
- Let children start their mini-garden
Gardening can help kids understand where food comes from, encourage them to eat healthier, and care about the environment. Let your kids get their hands dirty and plant their first seed. When they take care of the plant daily, watch it grow, and finally spot their first tomato or chilli, imagine how happy and proud they will be!
- Involve kids in the process
One of the best ways of raising healthy eaters is to involve kids in grocery shopping, meal planning, and cooking. These activities can create positive associations with wholesome, organic eating. Take them to the local market and let them choose fruits and vegetables. Get a menu calendar and ask kids to suggest meal ideas. During cooking, allow them in the kitchen with you and give them simple tasks like gathering the ingredients and washing the produce.
- Come up with creative recipes
You eat with your eyes first. It means visually appealing food stimulates appetite and enhances the dining experience. It brings us to the next organic food tip: make the food look fun, colourful, and delicious. For instance, if you want to make organic millet khichdi, add lots of vibrant organic veggies to make the dish colourful. If you want your kids to eat organic fruits, use cookie cutters to cut them into different shapes or arrange them in cute patterns such as animals, trees, or rainbows.
- Be a role model for your kid
If you wish to encourage healthy eating habits for children, you must eat well yourself. Kids learn by observing, and if they see you going for a packet of chips during snack time or ordering pizzas way too often, they will view it as normal behaviour. Instead, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, organic pulses, dairy products, and other nutritious foods before your children and remember to highlight their benefits.
- Celebrate small wins
Did your child finish everything on their plate without leaving any veggies behind? Did they enjoy eating fruits during snack time instead of candies or chips? Did they enjoy the trip to the local farmers' market? Then, acknowledge and support your kids for making healthy choices.
Choose organic food for children's health for a lifetime of benefits
You know that organic food is better for your children's lifelong well-being. You also know how to get your kids to like organic food. Now comes the question: where can you buy organic produce? We have a solution for that as well! Look no further than Bharat Vedica—your one-stop shop for organic flour, organic millet, organic pulses, and much more! Shop, stock up, and kickstart a healthier lifestyle for your kids and family!
