Providing healthy food for your child is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure their health. Remember your children learn from what you do more than what you say.
o Avoid Eating Time Restrictions: Restricting when you child can eat increases the risk your child may develop poor eating habits or create an eating disorder–such as anorexia, bulimia, or obesity. Allow your child to eat when she/he is hungry, rather than only allowing food intake at pre-designated times. Healthy nutritious snacks are part of a healthy food plan. Five or six small meals a day are nutritiously better than three large meals.
o Buy Only Healthy Food: Your actions speak louder than your words. Children will eat what is available and what they see you eat. Keep fruit in a bowl on the counter and have these snacks yourself. Remember, your child can only choose foods that are available. AND most importantly–avoid fast food–greasy hamburgers and French fries.
o Be Sensitive To Your Child’s Food Likes and Dislikes: If your child does not like tomatoes or corn for example–avoid forcing your child to eat it. Forcing a child to eat something they do not like could cause anorexia, bulimia or obesity. There are many healthy vegetable choices. Teach your child about nutritious foods–lean protein such as, turkey and soy give strength for their sports activities and antioxidants in fruits and vegetables add luster to skin and hair.
o Praise Healthy Choices: Give your child praise when she/he suggests healthy choices when grocery shopping. “I am very proud of you for choosing the dried pears–they are a healthy food.”
o Avoid Nagging: If your child eats unhealthy food with their friends at a sleep over or on play dates, avoid a lecture. Occasional junk food will not ruin his/her health. Remember the acorn does not fall far from the tree. I worried when my first child went off to college that she would fall into the junk food syndrome of her peers. You can imagine my relief when she said, “Mom, my snack cabinet looks like ours at home. My friends are surprised I do not have all the junk food they like.”
o Never Use Food As A Reward: Food as a reward sets up eating as a way to celebrate rather than for nutrition only and could create weight problems later in life. Instead, reward your child with a physical activity, something fun–preferably outside.
o Sit Down As A Family For Dinner: As often as possible make it a family tradition to eat dinner together. This is a good time for each family member to share their day. Be mindful to engage with baby too–cooing, shrieking and laughing. Research reveals that children who eat dinner at the table with their parents have better health and are less likely to get in serious trouble as teenagers. Meal time is an excellent opportunity to teach manners–please, thank you, napkin usage, proper utensils, etc.
o Eat Buffet Style: Buffet style allows your age appropriate child to choose some of each item she/he likes. You can supervise your toddler to take healthy portions and allow seconds as needed. Avoid forcing a certain portion–let your child’s natural metabolism dictate portion size.
o Encourage Food Sampling: Encourage your child to take three bites of each of the foods offered. Include the practice of having your child rate a new recipe. On a scale of 1 to 5–5 being the best, ask for a rating. When a recipe or vegetable receives a 4 or 5 serve it more often. Offer the items your child likes less–less frequently. This allows your child to participate in decision making and makes dining a family affair. Another fun way to promote healthy eating is allowing your child to take turns choosing the healthy menu.
