Kids these days are picky eaters, often turning their noses up at the fruits and vegetables you put on in their meal plates. Due to the busy and erratic schedule of many parents and the outgrowing trends of fast and junk foods, it can have a negative effect on children’s health and it is very important to provide them with the right nutrients that continue into adulthood. A kid’s healthy eating plate is a visual guide to help them and educate and encourage them to eat well and keep moving. As children have different nutritional needs than adults, you need to choose a plate that contains rainbow colors such as a healthy plate consisting of Fruits, vegetables, cereals, healthy oils, and dairy. Plus, having a healthy diet and focusing on the right nutrition are some of the simplest and most important ways to prevent the onset of disease. Therefore the main message of “Colorful Plate for Kids“ is to focus on “Diet Quality “.
Benefits of Healthful Eating For Children :
- Stabilizes their energy levels.
- Improve their mind.
- Help them maintain a healthy weight.
- Help prevent mental health conditions
Here are some ideas on how to make meals nutritious and tastier by incorporating various fruits and veggies in a fun and interesting way that kids will enjoy. By adding flavors and colors to kid’s plate you can make it healthy and colorful at the same time.
How to prepare a healthy colorful plate?
Building a Healthy and Balanced Diet: While building your child’s plate, start with fruits and veggies. Choose for options such as green beans, sweet potatoes, and fruits. Including a variety of foods make children’s meals more interesting and flavorful, thus builds their interest in eating. Therefore along with filling half of the plate with colorful vegetables and fruits (and choosing them as snacks), split the other half between whole grains and healthy proteins.
Make mealtimes a priority: Sitting down at the table with your children as a family is an important part of establishing healthy eating habits. But it’s more than just eating together. Mealtimes are also a chance to monitor their eating habits. 
Design Portion controlled Meals with age-appropriate plate sizes: Try Choosing a plate that is suitable for the child’s age, which will help to measure the appropriate portions. For Example, you can aim for a six-inch plate for toddlers and a nine-inch plate for kids and early adolescents and make it a healthy one.
Stick to Lean Meats: While choosing proteins, stick to lean meats and eggs. A small portion of gravy is helpful for adding flavor to the meal and making it tastier. Treat it as a dipping sauce to avoid excess gravy on the plate.
Desserts in Moderation: It would be unrealistic and difficult to expect your child to avoid desserts. You can allow your kids to have a small portion of dessert at the end of the meal, not larger than what can fit in the palm of their hand. You can also try adding a glass of milk to the dessert course as it’ll secretly fill them up and give them that extra dose of calcium.
Start with A Protein – Go Breakfast: Including a balanced breakfast with good proteins is a great way for the children to start their day. Proteins can help them stay full for longer and keep them energized throughout the day. You can include Egg wrap, peanut butter on whole-wheat toast, Fruit Smoothie, Multigrain wraps stuffed with pulses and vegetables and many more.
Make Small Shifts to Healthier Food Options: You don’t need to overhaul the entire meal plan instead you can add on healthy options. Slowly you can add in more options until you’ve adopted healthier food choices. Examples of a few easy alternatives can be wheat-based Pasta, Pizza, homemade smoothie instead of ice cream, peanut butter or healthy oils instead of butter, baked crisps or nuts instead of fried potato chips. Using colorful fruits and vegetables can make your kid’s plate healthy and yummy at the same time.
Incorporate Veggies into Other Foods: Want to make your children happily eat veggies! So go ahead and make innovations by adding flavors to their food. You can top the wheat base pizza with onions and peppers, sprinkle tomatoes and avocados or add veggies in a delicious pasta made with sauces and present to your child.
Finally, just like choosing the right foods and nutrients for your children, getting them indulged in various physical activities and outdoor plays in their daily routine is a part of the lifestyle for keeping them fit and healthy. Thus engross them into their liking sports and to their interest.
