Health: 9 Tips to Improve Your Family’s Health

by Cambria VandeMerwe on November 28th, 2016 | No Comments »

Keeping your family healthy can be a difficult task to fit into your busy schedule. The thing is it doesn’t need to be a separate task. Helping your family eat healthy and stay active can and should be intertwined into your everyday tasks. We’ve talked about it before, but it bears repeating. Amongst many other things, staying healthy can help you think faster and clearer, it makes you happier, and it gives you the energy to get that task list done more efficiently.

So how do you get your kids to eat the mysterious plants on their plates or choose a bike ride over a video game? Tweeters at a recent MomItForward Twitter #gno party sponsored by McDonalds shared their tips for helping your family eat healthy and stay active.

9 Top Tweets to Help Increase Your Family’s Health

Get your kids involved. “My kids are very involved in everything we eat. We shop together, grow things together and cook together,” said @SarahWCaron. Offer veggies at every meal; let your kids pick them and they will be more inclined to eat them. @blondefabulous suggested taking your kids to a fruit stand or farmers market to pick out their food.
Substitutions for fatty options can be beneficial in making a meal healthier. @adoctorandanurs suggested whole grain pastas and Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Make it fun! @AFrugalFriend makes creative plates with healthy foods, such as flowers out of fruits and veggies!
Teach your kids how to eat healthy with charts and colors. @adoctorandanurs uses My Plate to teach her kids healthy habits and keeps a poster on her fridge. “We refer to it all the time,” she said. @AFrugalFriend teaches about eating all different colors of foods, especially fruits and vegetables. @Living_LaLaLand suggested growing a garden as a great teaching tool for kids.
Eat balanced meals and snacks even when on the go. @sweetmatcha suggested keeping healthy foods handy in plastic containers so they are easy to grab on the go. Trail mix is a great healthy snack; let the kids make their own with healthy things, of course. @adoctorandanurs suggested carrots with hummus and frozen grapes as loveable healthy snacks.
Dance! Many of our Tweeters confessed to family dance parties in their homes. What a great way to have fun while exercising. @thecreatvprncss does Zumba with her girls to work out.
Bike! Another favorite activity was biking with the family. “Families can stay active together by cycling together to the farmer's market instead of taking the mini-van to the drive-thru,” @phdinparenting said.
Walk! Take a family walk to not only get moving but to talk about the day’s events. @gigstarr takes a walk with the family every evening after dinner.
Teach the importance of cooking at home by showing your kids how much food you can make with the same amount of money as going out. @SarahWCaron said, “We model what we teach. Homemade, fresh food is best, splurges are ok, too, though.”

A healthy family is a happy family, and what’s better than that? Use these tips to get your family moving and eating healthy even when working with a busy schedule. Simply incorporate it into your schedule until it’s a habit!