Kids & Food: 10 Tips for Parents

It's no surprise that parents might need some help understanding what it means to eat healthy. It can be awfully confusing.

The good news is that you don't need a degree in pediatric nutrition to raise healthy eaters. Following some basic tips can help you encourage your kids to eat right and maintain a healthy weight.

Here are 10 key rules to live by for better nutrition for kids:

1. Parents control the supply lines. You decide which foods to buy and when to serve them. Offering your kids healthy food at home makes it easier for them to eat well. Though kids may ask their parents for less nutritious foods, adults are in charge when deciding which foods are regularly stocked in the house. Kids won't go hungry. They'll eat what's available in the cupboard and fridge at home. If their favorite snack isn't all that nutritious, you can still buy it once in a while so they don't feel deprived.
2. From the foods you offer, kids get to choose what they will eat or whether to eat at all. Kids need to have some say in the matter. Schedule regular meal and snack times and aim for a balanced diet. From the selections you offer, let them choose what to eat and how much of it they want on their plate. This may seem like a little too much freedom. But if you follow step 1, your kids will be choosing from only the foods you buy and serve.
3. Quit the "clean-plate club." Let kids stop eating when they feel they've had enough. Lots of parents grew up under the clean-plate rule, but that approach doesn't help kids listen to their own bodies when they feel full. When kids notice and respond to feelings of fullness, they're less likely to overeat and are learning healthy eating habits.
4. Start them young. Food preferences are developed early in life, making early child nutrition especially important. Offer a variety of healthy foods for kids. You may need to serve a new food a few different times for a child to accept it. Don't force a child to eat, but offer a few bites. With older kids, ask them to try one bite.
5. Rewrite the kids' menu. Who says kids want to eat only hot dogs, pizza, burgers, and macaroni and cheese? When eating out, let your kids try new foods. They might surprise you with their willingness to experiment with choices from different food groups. You can start by letting them try a little of whatever you ordered or ordering an appetizer for them to try.
6. Drink calories count. Soda and other sweetened drinks add extra calories and get in the way of good nutrition. Water and milk are the best drinks for kids. Juice is fine when it's 100%, but kids shouldn’t have too much of it — 4 to 6 ounces (about 120 to 180 milliliters) a day is enough.
7. Put sweets in their place. Occasional sweets are fine, but don't turn dessert into the main reason for eating dinner. When dessert is the prize for eating dinner, kids naturally place more value on the cupcake than the broccoli.
8. Food is not love. Find better ways to say "I love you." When foods are used to reward kids and show affection, they may start using food to cope with stress or other emotions. Offer hugs, praise, and attention instead of food treats.
9. Kids do as you do. Be a role model and eat healthy yourself. When trying to teach good eating habits, try to set the best example possible. Choose nutritious snacks, eat at the table, and don't skip meals.
10. Limit TV and screen time. When you do, you'll avoid mindless snacking and encourage activity. Research has shown that kids who cut down on screen time also reduced their percentage of body fat. When screen time is limited, they'll find more active things to do.