Do Your Kids Love Eating Out? Get Them Healthy Options.

Kids just love French fries, pizzas, hot dogs, sweet carbonated drinks and generally anything that is packed with empty calories, transfat and sugar. You can and should help them make healthier choices when eating out.

Almost all children love eating out. It gives them an opportunity to try something new, something delicious, something that they can’t get at home. Eating out teaches them a number of lessons: how to behave appropriately in a public place, table manners, the variety of world’s cuisines through which they explore new tastes and learn to appreciate new things. Eating out can even motivate them to learn some cooking!

The sad part of the story is that the choices kids tend to do are totally unhealthy: empty calorie types of food are sure favorites as well as fast food restaurants being at the top. Of course, TV ads largely contribute to it, but so do the parents, themselves. So, the first thing that can help your child make healthy food choices is a good example from your side.

Don’t encourage frequent visits to fast food eating places. Specialty restaurants for kids are a way better, but as your child grows up he or she will start feeling they are too “babyish”. Generally, in any type of restaurant you can find food that is more on the junk side as well as food that is healthier for your child. Your task is to encourage his or her choice of the latter.

Lectures on the importance of eating healthy will hardly produce any effect, especially if your child is too young. Remember that healthy eating out starts with healthy home cooking. Healthy crock pot cooking and using a variety of crock pot recipes are a great way to get your children involved in cooking at home. They are easy to prepare and simple for the kids to help with. You can even let them help in the selection of vegetables to make with a crock pot beef recipe.

Introduce sweets and salty foods to your kid’s menu as late as possible; let him enjoy natural flavors. Avoid fried dishes as well as too processed and refined foods. All this will help your child make healthy choices naturally later in his or her life.

Most young children love eating out just because the food comes in a fun package and along with toys. Ask for substitutions if possible: water, milk or juice instead of soda, grilled chicken instead of chicken nuggets, and so on. You might still have to compromise – if your child is demanding French fries, take the smallest portion. Ordering a pizza, skip extra loads.

Never arrive at a restaurant too hungry, otherwise it is harder to resist the temptation of all those tasty yet unhealthy fries. Pack some light snacks, especially if you are dining out with little children. Though bringing your own food might be against the restaurant’s rules, they are usually quite understanding when it comes to the situation with young children.

Encourage your kid to sample new dishes; discuss the food and let the child rate it on a 1 to 5 or 1 to 10 scale. Note what vegetable and other healthy dishes get the highest rating and order them more frequently. Let your child know whenever you approve his or her choice.

If your little one is too a picky eater, find a restaurant where they serve dishes in an unusual or fun manner – elaborately cut pieces of fruit and vegetables, arrangement and decoration drawing instant attention, (naturally) bright dishes, or, perhaps, fun plates, glasses or cutlery. Ultimately, anything that put him or her on the track of healthy eating out is well worth trying.