Everybody loves eating junk food, especially children. However, if your toddler is becoming a junk food junkie, you might need to reassess his diet in order to stop this unhealthy habit. Here are some tips to help you out.

Give Your Pantry A Makeover

Start your toddler’s eating-habit overhaul in the pantry. Examine it. Do you see bags of chips lined up in one corner? Clear out the chips and other unhealthy foods and replace them with healthy foods. If your toddler only sees bread, cheese, sugar-free cereals and fresh fruit in your pantry, that is what your little one will end up eating. Keep in mind that children will eat anything when they are hungry, so the “I want junk food.” declarations will not last long.

Offer Healthy Substitutes

Swap junk foods with more nutritious options. For instance, instead of offering junk food during snack time, give him cheese sticks or fruits instead. Buy whole grain bread and cookies instead of those goodies made with white flour.

Another effective tip is to use healthier cooking techniques. Instead of frying potatoes to make French fries, why not bake or grill them. Rather than serving sugary cereals, offer your toddler a hot cereal with a little cinnamon or other spices (e.g. nutmeg, brown sugar and honey). This way, you give your toddler something healthy while he can continue enjoying the foods he loves to eat.

Keep It Fun

Make healthy foods fun to eat. Cut sandwiches into funny shapes, slice different fruits to make a fruit salad, dip veggie sticks into yummy sauce and turn pancakes into smiley faces by placing eyes, nose and mouth using raisins.

Wean Your Toddler Slowly

A toddler who is so used to eating junk food will have a hard time letting go. Do not just restrain your little one from eating junk food at once. Take it slow. Replace potato chips with lightly flavored vegetable crisps and pudding with low-fat yogurt. The secret is to strike a balance between healthy and junk foods in your toddler’s diet. Gradually decrease your toddler’s intake of these foods until he is eating no more than one serving per day.

Talk About The Consequences

Stick a food chart on the wall and help your toddler identify the good foods and bad foods. Talk to him about the effects of eating junk foods and why eating healthy food is better. Read a book or watch a video about healthy eating so he will be able to understand your point better.

Be A Role Model

Practice what you preach. Toddlers love imitating their parents, so if you want your toddler to stop eating junk food, be aware of the foods you eat in front of your little one. Set a good example by limiting your own junk food intake. Once he sees you eat fruits instead of chips, he will follow you.

Finally, do not prohibit junk food completely as this will only make it more tempting. Allow him to eat one or two servings every now and then, say, once a week. Everything in moderation will not hurt your toddler.