Reasons to Practice Proper Portion Sizes for Your Children

Providing a healthy meal for your child is only part of ensuring his or her success against obesity. Did you know that many people miscalculate portion sizes on a regular basis? This can attribute to some of the cause in our overweight society. We are lead to believe that overflowing plates for a low price is a good deal. While the cost of food may validate the journey to the buffet, it is the quantities we are consuming that play a role in those extra pounds our children and ourselves are subjected to. There are a variety of reasons why you want to practice a more conservative point of view to portion sizes for your children.

1. Healthier Eating - Even if you don't subscribe to nutritional diets, a can of Chef Boyardee pasta is considered 2 servings. By providing correct portion sizes, you can help curb the amount of food your child consumes regularly. In this case, "finish eating everything on your plate" can be a detrimental statement to the health of your children. A plate doesn't need to be covered in food in order to call it a meal. In fact, there are some items that go on a plate in mass quantities that can be unhealthy.

2. Habitual - By teaching your children the reasons behind portion sizes, you can help them develop proper eating habits that can prevent future complications. Diabetes and heart disease are too prevalent in our world and healthier habits can reduce your child's risk to such ailments. Although they will still develop their own means of survival once they leave the house, you can still provide them with the knowledge and tools for success.

3. Cheaper - One argument that some try to defend is how much more expensive "healthy" food is compared to others. This is a strong argument for those who are on a tight budget. However, food could cost the same or considerably less for your family if you practiced proper portion sizes. By taking a closer examination at how much food your children should be eating, you will see that feeding them healthier foods doesn't impact your food budget in a negative way compared to your original methods.

4. Vegetables - Portion control could encourage children to eat more of the items that they believe are toxic. There are many methods to further encourage children to eat their vegetables. A smaller portion size than what they're used to could help drive them to finish everything on their plate naturally.

5. Less Junk - Monitoring portion sizes reduces the consumption of unhealthy foods regardless of your feeding methods. There are many things that are put into processed foods that our bodies were never meant to absorb. If you are determined to dine out, not ordering the "super-sized" deals and sticking with smaller meals can help reduce the damage to your children's bodies.

Portion size control is only part of helping your children stay healthy. A proper diet of the right foods, plenty of activity and less sugars can go a long way to preventing your child from becoming a statistic for obesity. Your children take their cues from you, and it's your responsibility to set a good example for healthier living. Don't conform to what commercialism views as a dining experience.