Hoping to help kids enjoy the "long-lasting benefits" of a healthy diet, Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones has ordered that schools take away unhealthy foods and drinks from their respective cafeterias.
According to the Inquirer, the DepEd is urging all public elementary and high schools and DepEd offices to adopt this new practice in order to help fight malnutrition and obesity.
Foods and drinks which do not develop healthy eating habits are often sugar-filled, high sodium, and fat-laden foods.
For instance, soft drinks and deep fried fish balls should be replaced by healthy alternatives, like buko juice, boiled peanuts and fresh fruit.
But it's not just the kids who will benefit from this; even the school's faculty and staff will be influenced to lead healthier lives.
The DepED cited a 2014 survey by the National Nutrition Survey by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, which found that 29.1 percent of Filipino children (5-10 years old) were underweight. They also found that 9.1 percent were overweight.
How to make sure kids develop healthy eating habits
The World Health Organization has been encouraging countries to make healthy food options more accessible and available, while restricting them in schools.
This aim to be healthier shouldn't just be practiced in school, but also in the home. How can you introduce healthier eating habits to your kids?
1. Be a good example
You don't have to use words to encourage kids to go for healthy foods. Simply adopting a healthier lifestyle through the foods you eat daily can encourage them to imitate you. The great part about is, you'll learn to eat better, too!
2. Don't let them feel limited
Allow them the freedom to eat when they're hungry. Don't overtly ban foods by labeling them as "bad". Teach them to eat everything in moderation. For instance, they can have fast food sometimes, and extra dessert on special occasions. This way, they will slowly develop a love for healthy food.
3. Don't use food as a reward
When you use the promise of food as motivation for good behavior, your child may develop unhealthy attitudes toward it. Try to use words and actions, not related to food, to inspire good behavior or to show affection.
4. Make healthy food available
Out of sight, out of mind. If you keep unhealthy options out of your fridge and kitchen, kids will slowly stop craving them. When they're hungry, kids often raid the fridge, so it's better if, once they open it, only healthy foods and drinks await them.
READ: Top 10 superfoods to boost your kid’s development
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