Eat Healthy
For more information on how to be healthier, one step at a time, please visit www.takelifeon.co.uk
Whether it's always sleeping on the same side of the bed or eating two biscuits with your tea every night, we all have habits you might not even realise you do.
Evidence shows that when it comes to what they eat, how active they are and their attitude towards drinking, children's habits are heavily influenced by close family. And these habits are likely to stay with them when they grow up.
Here are the Take Life On campaign's top tips to enjoying better health for all the family -
1. Take time to be together as a family - sitting down for dinner and chatting about your day is a great way for the family to catch up and spend some quality time together.
2. Make time for meal time- eating three good meals a day will help to boost your kids' energy and reduce their craving for snacks. Adults are also less likely to snack on fatty foods such as crisps if they have eaten a proper meal.
3. Keep mealtimes varied and interesting- varying what your family eats will help keep kids excited about their evening meal. Saving favourite dishes for rare occasions will also help make mealtimes that bit more special and gives everyone a chance to discover new foods they like.
4. Reduce portion sizes- children don't need as much food as adults so try giving kids smaller portions. As well as the benefits to your child's health this will also help reduce waste and save money in the long-run. Adults will also notice the benefits of smaller portions on their waist-size.
5. Have a healthy, energy-packed breakfast- cereals, fruit and toasted brown bread are a light, healthy start to an active day and will keep you and your family energised until lunchtime.
6. Try a healthier snack- try swapping fatty foods such as crisps and sweets with healthier alternatives such as carrots, bananas and oatcakes. These foods will help stave off hunger and boost brain-power in the classroom or at work. While chocolate is ok as an occasional treat, eating it every day could result in long-term health problems, especially among child.
7. Try to keep the lunchbox healthy- Often the healthiest things a child can have for lunch are the simplest. A sandwich of ham, tomato and cucumber on brown bread is easy to make, tasty and will help your child maintain concentration throughout the afternoon. Also, as a pudding, a low-fat yoghurt is a good source of protein and calcium. Taking food to work will also help save money and avoid impulsive food purchases.
8. Avoid sugary drinks- Replace sugary drinks with healthier alternatives such as milk or water. Milk is good for building strong bones and teeth and water is excellent for keeping them hydrated. Experts say we should all try to drink six to eight glasses of water or other fluids every day.
9. Be active as a family- to maintain good health adults should aim for at least 30 minutes' moderate physical activity five days a week and children should be doing at least one hours' moderate physical activity every day. Activities such as swimming, cycling or even kicking a ball in the park are a great, low-cost way of spending time together and letting kids use up that excess energy. Doing this at least once a week will produce massive health benefits for all the family.
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