Christmas is not the best time to begin a strict diet, that’s for sure. It is rather a time of food excess. Meats, desserts, parties, chocolate advent calendars, and other sweets are the most common meals. Taking care of what we eat becomes even more complicated in the case of children. But do we have to say goodbye to a healthy diet for children during Christmas? Do we have to choose between fun and healthy eating? Not really.
Tips for children’s Christmas meals
If you want to follow a healthy diet this time of year, you can write down a meal plan for your children. They will probably enjoy more holidays than adults, so it is more difficult to control what they eat or not. But by following a few rules, we can keep healthy and responsible eating habits for everyone.
Save the sweets for later
Although you can find sweets at any time of the year, Christmas sweets are really everywhere now. Don’t start buying sweets in November. A few days before Christmas is sufficient, and it will also preserve the magic of having something special on specific days rather than whenever they ask for it.
Don’t let them snack between meals, and be careful with sodas and other drinks with too much sugar.
Homemade is always better
A good way for children to enjoy healthy, not boring, food is to make their own Christmas sweets. And we’re not talking about cabbage as the new Christmas sweet: we’re talking about good, nice, and cheap homemade sweets, from biscuits to cakes and even ice cream. You will spend some time with them as well, and they will love that more than any other gift.
When you bake your own sweets, you also control the amount of sugar and butter, the quality of the ingredients, and the type of oil.
When planning Christmas dinners, keep children in mind
Children often don’t eat the same dishes as we do at Christmas just because it is supposed to be party time. We often replace adult dishes with fast food, such as nuggets or hamburgers. It is ok if you prepare them at home, but there is no reason to do it. They are part of the family, and they can eat the same dishes as the rest of the family. They will enjoy being part of it too. You can also make your own fast food at home.
Choose salad or vegetables as a side dish, and go for fish instead of meat. You can also make beautiful decorations to make the dishes look more appealing to children.
Food quantities
Try to serve small portions on your children’s plates. If they can eat anything they want from trays, they will eat a lot more. This will also help. This is the best way for them to try everything while also sharing with others and not impulsively choosing what they like best without letting the others taste it. A mix of table manners, taking care of food and working on the Christmas spirit at the same time.
A lighter meal the next day
If the Christmas Eve dinner or any other meal was too much, you can cook something lighter the following day. Think about fruit and vegetables, but also about drinking more water to keep them hydrated.
Change the original menu for a healthier one
Making a few changes to the Christmas menu can be a good solution to keep your children in shape and, at the same time, look after the grown-ups. It is not a question of doing without ham but, for example, of using the oven more and replacing fried foods. Seafood, homemade spreads, or a good salad are great starters for a Christmas dinner and lunch.
If you cook some Christmas sweets or desserts at home, modify your recipe. Get rid of sugar and replace some of it with a natural sweetener such as stevia.
Don’t forget to do some exercise
Perhaps it is not the best time of the year to be active, for many reasons. Yet, it is important to find some time to go for a walk with kids, once per day. Many houses and places have Christmas decorations full of lights, and your children will love to see them. Even if you live in a small apartment, try to play with them at home. It is time to use your brain to find some alternatives to watching TV, and all of you will sleep better after doing some exercise.
Routines matter
Routines should not be allowed to spiral out of control during the Christmas season. It is important to keep daily routines, especially with meals. Follow the same schedule as the rest of the year, and don’t include Christmas sweets if it is not a special day.
Christmas gifts
When family members want to buy gifts but are not sure what to buy, they often choose chocolate or similar sweets. Thank you, but no; intentions are good, but results are not. Try to keep sugar under control and teach your close ones why it is not always a good gift.
Be a good example
Children learn by imitating adults’ behaviours, so walk the walk. Eat healthily; don’t let your plate look like a dish from a buffet, plenty of things you don’t intend to eat. Even though it’s tempting to give them what they ask for these days, don’t forget that all they want for Christmas is you, like Mariah.