Guide to Making Healthier Choices When Eating Out with Kids

Importance of Healthy Eating for Children: Cautious Present, Better Future

'As you sow, so shall you reap!' - The renowned proverb fits well with the food you and your child consume. Whatever your children eat will have an impact on their health and wellness. Encouraging children to eat healthy food for their overall growth and development is imperative. So, here is what your kid's diet must include:

Protein Power

Children need proteins and iron for their growth and development. Try to include one or two portions of protein in your child's diet. Beans, lentils, eggs, chicken, and processed meat such as bacon sausages are good protein sources.

Starchy Flavour

It's essential for the kids as they are the powerhouse of energy. Children remain energetic and feel full for a long time. Potatoes, pasta, and rice are examples of starchy food.

Dairy Products and Alternatives

These are essential as they account for being good sources of Vitamin A & D, calcium, protein and fat.

5 Advantages of Eating Out With Children Responsibly - A Balanced Diet

Now you know what makes a healthy, well-balanced meal for your kids. So, it is time to decode its advantages when making smarter food choices for kids at restaurants.

Steady Energy

Making smarter food choices for kids at restaurants is the key. A balanced diet is a consistent energy source. It houses adequate carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and healthy fats.

Strong Bones and Teeth

Calcium and Vitamin D in your child's food help them develop and strengthen their bones.

Improved Mental Health

Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables contribute positively to your kid's brain health, thus preventing cognitive ailments. Whenever you plan to eat out with your kids, ensure that they consume colourful, seasonal fruits and veggies in some form or another. 

Preventing Chronic Conditions

Eating out with your kids responsibly goes far and beyond in many ways. A balanced diet rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and fibre helps them prevent developing heart ailments and certain cancers. Moreover, they help build a strong immune system.

Healthy Weight Management

With a well-balanced diet and reduced intake of sugary food, your child can maintain a healthy weight—additionally, health conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes stay at bay.

Making 5 Smarter Food Choices for Your Kids at Restaurants

Choose from the Regular Menu

Take a pass at the kid's menu. Instead, place an order from the regular menu and share. In other words, demand for the snacks for their main course. Decide on the platter yourself, including healthier side dishes like baked potato skewers.

Customise the Dishes

Dishes at the restaurants are generally high on spices and oil. Get them customised to your kid's tastes and preferences. And then, let's see what comes up!

Baked, Not Fried!

Baking is healthier than frying. So, choose baked dishes over fried ones. Opt for grilled chicken or fish over their fried versions. The tip is one of the best kid-friendly restaurant trips - Trust us when we say this!

Avoid French Fries

If french fries are a battle, order and share the fries with your kid. However, our nutrition experts at Nirva recommend otherwise. Instead of fries, ask for raw veggies or baked veggie sticks with dip.

Say No to Sodas or Cold Fizzy Drinks

No matter how difficult it gets - Make sure to quench your kid's thirst with plain water. But, since they are out on a treat, you can ask for iced or flavoured water or both with a dash of any non-acidic citrus fruit.

Experimental But Healthy! 7 Tips to Navigating Kid's Menu While You Eat Out 

A task. Phew! But we have got your back with some excellent tips to make this whole process a little smoother but exciting for you and your child!

Exciting Descriptions

Get dramatic with your menu options for kids. A tinge of melodrama here and there is all you need! Give the dishes on their menu funny names like Fruit Fantasia, Nom Wich, etc. 

Colour Mania

Be playful with the colours and add different fruits and veggies to maintain that vibrancy.

Avoid Added Flavours or Unhealthy Grains

While these are some aspects you need to safeguard your child, you can add whole wheat to the bread and pasta you order! Why? The bread flour is unhealthy and leads to stomach problems.

Kid-Friendly Main Menu

When ordering from the main menu, go for kid-friendly choices like chicken wings, healthy wraps, and vegetable burgers.

Vibrant Healthy Juices and Smoothies

Instead of sugar-loaded packed juices, encourage your kids to drink fresh juices and plain water. As mentioned earlier, you can give flavoured water too. 

After all, eating out with kids responsibly is the key! Hence, you can even let smoothies that employ different seasonal fruits, milk, and ice make their way to satiate their hunger pangs.

Get Creative with the Toppings and Dips

Make your child's meals exciting and delicious by combining them with varied dips and toppings.

'Build Your Plate'

Some restaurants and cafes offer 'build-your-own' plate choices, allowing you to create a balanced meal for your kids! So, here it is - all clear - Select the perfect protein, vegetables, and grains!

To Conclude

Instilling good habits and practices while eating out with your kids goes a long way. Most restaurant foods are high in calories, fat and salt. Therefore, eating out with children responsibly profoundly impacts young minds! They learn to eat healthy, even if it's a treat.