Source – https:\/\/risingsunchatsworth.co.za\/<\/p>\n
Did you know that 13% of SA kids under the age of five are overweight? \u201cNutrition is key to ensure a child\u2019s healthy development. Encouraging kids to eat more veggies and fruits, ensuring their meals are as nutritious as possible, and incorporating diversified protein sources \u2013 including plant-based options \u2013 is very important, but can sometimes prove challenging for parents and caregivers\u201d says Zumi Njongwe, Consumer Communication, and Marketing Excellence Director, Nestl\u00e9 ESAR.<\/p>\n
There is a general misconception that eating healthy is expensive, but try following these budget-friendly tips on your next grocery shopping trip:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Plan meals ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n Go through recipe books and browse your favourite food blogs to create a meal plan that fits your household budget. Aim for a week\u2019s worth of recipes that use up all the ingredients you buy so nothing goes to waste.<\/p>\n Make a list and stick to it<\/strong><\/p>\n Check your fridge and pantry cupboard to see what ingredients you already have for your weekly meal plan. If there are items that are going to expire soon, work those into your meal plan to further minimise wastage. If you\u2019re not good at making lists and sticking to them, take a look at these\u00a0helpful apps. \u00a0<\/p>\n Find affordable alternatives<\/strong><\/p>\n Take a look at your last grocery trip till slip and look for the most expensive items and research cheaper (but still healthy) alternatives. For example, quinoa is all the buzz, but it\u2019s really expensive so opt for something like brown rice instead or use grapes instead of blueberries. This will help you keep within your budget. If you need help with your budget try these\u00a0free budgeting templates. \u00a0<\/p>\n Have an in-store plan of action<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you\u2019re in the store, stick to the aisles in which you\u2019ll find your listed items. This will help you avoid adding unnecessary things to your trolley, which you\u2019ll probably look at later and wonder: \u2018why on earth did I buy this?\u2019<\/p>\n Comparison is key<\/strong><\/p>\n Don\u2019t just grab the can or packet you see first. Stores lay out their shelves with the priciest items at eye level, so check above and below for the same product at a more competitive price. Also, avoid being seduced by brand names. The store\u2019s own nameless brands are sometimes a lot cheaper and, often, excellent quality.<\/p>\n Nutritional labels don\u2019t lie<\/strong><\/p>\n Some things that appear healthy, aren\u2019t. For example, tinned soup may seem like a quick and healthy meal but in fact, many of these are packed with sugar and preservatives. Also skip ready-made meals where you have no control over the amount of salt, sugar, and preservatives added and which are normally very expensive.<\/p>\n Start them slow<\/strong><\/p>\n A mistake people often make when deciding to \u2018become healthy\u2019 is buying huge quantities of healthy food, most of which end up going to waste. Rather buy and prepare small quantities to see what your kids enjoy most. Training your kids\u2019 palate from a young age, to appreciate healthy food will help them establish a lifelong appetite for eating well.<\/p>\n M<\/strong>aintain and sustain normal eating patterns<\/strong><\/p>\n The increase in childhood obesity can be partly attributed to the decrease in structured eating patterns. Eating breakfast is key to establishing these patterns, which will help them maintain a healthy weight throughout their lives. What they eat is, of course, just as important as when they eat, so avoid sugar-packed cereals and white bread.<\/p>\n Always have healthy snacks on hand<\/strong><\/p>\n Buying or making snacks in bulk and keeping them on you will ensure that you\u2019re always ready for that inevitable \u2018I\u2019m hungry\u2019 when you\u2019re on the go. This way you won\u2019t have to buy convenience food at very inconvenient prices and you\u2019ll keep them full until it\u2019s home time and they can have a proper, filling meal. \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6322,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[47,3057,1161,51,289],"class_list":["post-6321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-weight-loss-gain","tag-childhood","tag-continues","tag-kids","tag-obesity","tag-rise"],"yoast_head":"\n