Avoiding harmful foods

Processed and flash-frozen foods contain lot of harmful additives. Chocolate, candies, chips, and soft drinks are especially dangerous. Colorings, preservatives, taste enhancers and stabilisers are found in these snack foods in large quantities.

To avoid harmful foods in your child's diet, simply do not buy them. If bad food is not in the fridge or pantry, the child will not eat them. This is an extreme approach but guaranteed to work best.

The child will stay away from bad foods if he or she can take part with his or her parents in formulating a healthy diet. If the child is involved in the process, he or she will take ownership of it. Kids will become able to learn from their own experiences and be able to decide what kind of food works best for them. They will be on the right track and will maintain a healthy diet later on as well.

Explain the reasons for a healthy diet discussing the different effects on the body. Compare healthy, organic foods with processed foods.

Let them taste everything, have them read the labels on food containers, and introduce them to different food ingredients.

Do not forbid them from trying anything but be explicit and stern about basic nutritional concepts!

Harmful foods should be categorised as “occasional” such as once or twice a week: they can be eaten but you should not allow your child to get full on these snack foods!