In today’s fast paced world, there are too many distractions and enticements that you have to compete with in raising healthy children and the environment plays a significant role in supporting their unhealthy habits.

Being a parent you know that living and eating healthy is without a doubt the foundation of a healthy life. And according to pediatricians, simple variations of your diet and everyday routine can help you raise healthier kids. Here are seven easy tips on raising healthy children, backed by physical activity and a healthy nutrition.

1. You’re their role model

It starts with you. You can’t drink soda for dinner and expect your kids to drink water or milk. They have to see you do this also, to understand that you’re not being hypocritical. This includes physical activity.

2. Re-arrange the food environment

What’s in your cookie jar? A good answer would be “naturally dried fruits”. Or the cookie jar could also be replaced with a tempting bowl of fresh fruits. Making the environment less tempting with high-fat snacks or candies and replacing them with healthy snacks would be a good place to start.

3. Keep it within your means

Nutrition doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Make a budget friendly meal plan that may include something like buying fruits and vegetables that are in season or chicken breasts or even beans and lentils.

4. Gradually replace junk with healthy foods

You should not be over-strict with the junk food; you’ll only create deeper cravings. Try with a balance that can work, for example little portions of desserts, offer juice instead of soda or replacing butter with olive oil while cooking.

5. Involve the whole family

Doing activities in groups boosts the fun. According to a Canadian study done on fifth graders, children that help their parents to cook are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables, than those that don’t. They will accept it more because they’ll feel as part of it.

6. Make physical exercise fun

Today, with SpongeBob on the screen, kids may be tempted to sit all day. But there are some activities that you can do together with them like taking one hour walks, blowing bubbles and letting them chase after them and more. The essential thing is to make sure they’re having fun, after that you can ask them how they feel. This way they’ll always associate the happy rush with exercise or physical activity.

7. Limit screen time

According to the study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids of ages 8-18 spend more than 7 hours a day on media devices. More screen time means less physical activities and a lot more temptations of junk food images all over. Keeping screens and gadgets out of your children rooms would help control it.

Take away

Raising healthy children is not a complicated, meaningless and painful affair. It’s as simple as putting off the procrastination and starting a new life. Start it today.