I cannot push this point hard enough. Everything that we feed our children and everything that they see us parents eat is teaching them either good or bad eating habits. They are always watching us and we are showing them what is ok and not ok to put in our bodies. So something I became very aware of was that I should always be trying to create a Healthy Lifestyle for them so its teaching them when they are young how to look after their bodies with the foods they eat.

Now, I am divorced so my children get time staying at their Dads house too, but while they are with me I try very hard to do my best to create a healthy lifestyle for them. I can’t control what they eat at their Dads but I can choose what they eat at home with me. So here are a few steps I took at the beginning that helped massively towards a healthier family.

1. I don’t keep soft drink in the house. By simply not purchasing soft drink at the store, it takes away the temptation of wanting to drink it yourself or having your children ask for some. If it’s not there, you/they can’t have it. Easy and simple. And always remind your children of the importance of drinking plenty or water & make sure you do the same.
2. We don’t buy fast food. My children know that in Mummy’s house they won’t be eating McDonalds or KFC etc. They don’t even bother asking for it anymore. For me having a simple rule to live by that I don’t let myself purchase from certain food stores helps a lot because they then don’t even come into consideration for meal options.
3. I always do my best to have plenty of fresh produce in the house. I’m happy for my kids to grab a Banana or apple etc when they want an extra snack. Keep fruit cut up in the fridge so its easy to grab when needed or even to put in their lunch boxes which helps with lunchbox prep. My children now often get excited for a plate of cut up fruit just like if I had put a chocolate bar down in front of them.
4. Keep it as home-made as possible. Now this one can be hard thanks to busy schedules but I just want to remind you that cooking or baking something at home is so much healthier then store bought options. And most of the time its cheaper and goes further. If you have the time, bake something for lunch boxes (even get the kids involved with the cooking process if you can deal with a little extra mess). Send delicious healthy leftovers from dinner the night before for their school lunch. If they are like my kids, they get tired of sandwiches quickly.
5. Buy organic if and when you can. Something that is a non negotiable in my home is we only purchase Organic Meat. I never sway on this. If you are a meat eating family make sure you know where your meat is coming from & what their process is with it. Have a quick chat to your butcher and see if you’re happy with the information they give you. So much meat these days has added liquids/fillers or hormones etc. To know that my meat hasn’t been changed in anyway and to also know it comes from healthy happy animals is a big deal to me. And then I buy some organic fruit and veg on and off when I can afford to. Just do what you can in the financial circumstance you are in.

I know that as a parent life can get hectic but it’s so important that we do our very best to provide our children with the nutrition they need for their growing bodies. So make some simple steps towards a healthier lifestyle and then keep making positive changes. Slowly but surely it will have a positive effect on your families health and habits. Keep trying new things and stay strong in the changes you choose to make.

There is so much more I could cover on this subject but that’s a great start and hopefully gives you something to think on.

Stay Healthy Beautiful Mums…