As someone who is part of the typical American household, you know that it can be tricky to implement healthy habits that support active childhoods. Your time could be split between working long hours, squeezing through traffic to retrieve your children from school, hustling home in time to get them ready for extracurriculars, and maybe, just maybe, mustering up the energy you have left to cook a decent dinner (unless the frozen microwave meals in the back of your freezer catch your attention first). Does anyone really have the time to be as healthy as they want their family to be?
There are so many factors that figure into a healthier lifestyle, and it can be daunting to keep that at the forefront of everyone’s busy day. Healthy choices are important to place at the center of your lives, though. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in five American children are obese. That’s a condition that can lead to serious health complications such as diabetes, heart disease, and asthma, greatly impacting quality of life. Plus, the CDC notes that healthcare costs for a family are $909 higher for each overweight or obese family member.
The good news is that obesity is preventable and treatable, and finding ways to change young people’s lifestyles may be easier than it seems. Read six healthy habits below and see how you may be able introduce them to your household.
1. Create a Positive Mealtime Environment
Healthy living often starts at the dinner table. When your family sits down for a meal, a positive environment can lead to more appreciation for healthy foods and more chances to create healthier habits. It can also help strengthen family bonds, which a 2021 study identified as a leading indicator of children’s overall health. Here are some ideas on how to set the perfect stage for a dinnertime meal:
Make Sit-down Meals a Habit
There’s nothing wrong with occasionally having dinner in front of the television or eating at separate times when one child has a 5:30 p.m. soccer game and the other is performing at a 7 p.m. dance recital. However, too many separate dinners or mindless eating sessions in front of the TV could reinforce bad eating habits. Instead, try to have sit-down meals as a family at least a couple times a week.
Involve Kids in Meal Planning and Prep
A great way to learn about healthy eating is to be involved in meal preparation. Even from a young age, kids can help place silverware on the table or provide input on what meals they’d like to eat. Some households also find it useful to have a whiteboard or communal brainstorming space to jot down meal ideas for the upcoming week.
Set Routine Meal Times
Try to have sit-down family meals at the same time on those nights. Having a set time and routine around meals can reinforce good habits, and it can also lessen snacking or eating whenever someone just feels slightly hungry.
2. Explore New Healthy Foods as a Family
Trying new foods is a great way to promote healthy eating habits and family bonding. According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, a balanced meal includes a plate with:
- 50% vegetables and fruit. Throughout the week, eat fruits and veggies from all colors of the rainbow.
- 50% grains and protein, with slightly more grains than protein. At least half of those grains should be whole.
- Some additional dairy or dairy substitute. When possible, choose low-fat or fat-free dairy options.
While roasted salmon on quinoa with asparagus, soy milk, and honey dew for dessert may be a healthy meal that meets the above guidelines, it may not be the best option for picky eaters. If you have those types of eaters in your family, create a food plan that includes some of their favorites. You can also slowly introduce new foods to dishes they already like. For example, if your child is a fan of grilled cheese, you may be able to sneak in some spinach to add more greens to their diet.
By expanding your family’s food palette, you add more variety to your meals and teach children that healthy eating can be flavorful and delicious.
3. Get Active Together
You don’t need an exercise science degree to know that moving your body daily is a great way to stay healthy, but it takes planning to make sure your loved ones are active. To help, the CDC has set exercise guidelines for adults and children.
Adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activities a week, such as walking, biking, swimming, or jogging. It’s also recommended to throw in two strength training sessions a week. These are minimums, and it’s safe to go beyond these recommendations as long as you do so gradually to avoid injury.
For children ages 3-5, the CDC recommends activity throughout the day instead of specific time-based recommendations. For children and teens between ages 6-17, the CDC recommends 60 minutes of physical activity daily. This should include a mix of:
- Aerobic activity, such as running, walking, and biking
- Muscle-strengthening activity, like climbing and push-ups
- Bone-strengthening activity, such as jumping or skipping rope
A great way to ensure the entire family is physically active is to plan daily or weekend activities outside. You could, for example, walk the dog together in the evenings or take on a new sport like pickleball together on the weekends.
4. Learn About Nutrition Together
Anyone can benefit from a refresher on nutrition. Fortunately, there are plenty of free government resources to help you determine nutrition guidelines and serving sizes based on a child’s age.
MyPlate, for example, offers customized recommendations for toddlers, infants, kids, teens and young adults, grown-ups, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and older adults.
They also have a page specifically for families that offers these great nutrition tips:
- Turn off the television at meal time to encourage mindful eating.
- At dinner time, ask everyone about what they did during the day.
- Try one new food each week (minimum).
- Talk about the color, feel, and taste of different foods.
- When it’s nice out, eat in a nearby park or the backyard.
Another great way to learn about nutrition is to start a family garden. This can be done in your backyard or in a local park with a community garden. Working in a garden helps us learn about the process of growing food and encourages us to eat less processed options.
If it’s not possible to grow a family garden, you can also take children on trips to the grocery store. Once there, you can mindfully reflect on what options you’re putting into your basket and show them how to use a healthy grocery list.
5. Set Consistent Sleep Routines
Sleep is an often overlooked aspect of healthy living. Getting enough sleep each night gives your body time to reset and can help keep extra weight off.
Recommended sleep time, including naps, differs by age:
- Newborn: 14-17 hours
- Infants: 12-16 hours
- Toddlers: 11-14 hours
- Preschoolers: 10-13 hours
- School-age children: 9-12 hours
- Teens: 8-10 hours
- Adults: over 7 hours
- Adults over age 61: 7-9 hours
Often, our routines dictate the time and quality of our sleep. The first step to a good routine is to go to sleep and wake up at the same time, every time. This is especially important for children and teens, but it can also benefit any adult family members.
Specific nighttime habits that promote good sleep include ensuring no screen time an hour before bed, avoiding eating heavy meals within two hours of going to sleep, and keeping your room cool and dark. Going outside during the day and having a hot bath before bed also promotes good sleep health.
6. Stock Your Home with Healthy Options
It’s dinner time and you open up your pantry. There’s no time to run to the store, and you’re looking for the fastest option possible because the kids have swimming practice. If your pantry is stocked with unhealthy, processed foods, that’s what you’re likely to make to fuel them for the pool. If your fridge has pre-cut vegetables, pre-cooked rice, and lean chicken, making a healthy stir fry just became easier.
Stocking your home with healthy options encourages kids to make better snack choices and makes it easier for you to cook nutritious meals. One way to choose healthy options is to always write a list before going to the grocery store. A list also reduces food waste (which is good for your wallet and the environment) and ensures you have healthy snacks and meals ready-to-go when the week gets hectic.
To make your grocery shopping routine as productive as possible, you should also plan your trip for the same time each week. Before shopping, use an online or physical meal planner and jot down what meals you’d like to prepare for the week. You can also make it easier to make those meals by preparing ingredients during the weekend.
