Kids and Food: 10 Tips for Parents
It's no surprise that parents might need some help understanding what it means
to eat healthy. From the MyPlate
food guide to the latest food fad, it can be awfully confusing.
The good news is that you don't need a degree in nutrition to raise healthy kids.
Following some basic guidelines can help you encourage your kids to eat right and
maintain a healthy weight.
Here are 10 key rules to live by:
- Parents control the supply lines. You decide which foods to buy
and when to serve them. Though kids will pester their parents for less nutritious
foods, adults should be 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.
- 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.
From the selections you offer, let them choose what to eat and how much of it they
want. This may seem like a little too much freedom. But if you follow step 1, your
kids will be choosing only from the foods you buy and serve.
- 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.
- Start them young. Food preferences are developed early in life,
so offer variety. Likes and dislikes begin forming even when kids are babies. 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.
- Rewrite the kids' menu. Who says kids only want to eat hot dogs,
pizza, burgers, and macaroni and cheese? When eating out, let your kids try new foods
and they might surprise you with their willingness to experiment. You can start by
letting them try a little of whatever you ordered or ordering an appetizer for them
to try.
- 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 don't need much
of it — 4 to 6 ounces a day is enough for preschoolers.
- 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. Try
to stay neutral about foods.
- 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.
- 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.
- Limit TV and computer time. When you do, you'll avoid mindless
snacking and encourage activity. Research has shown that kids who cut down on TV-watching
also reduced their percentage of body fat. When TV and computer time are limited,
they'll find more active things to do. And limiting "screen time" means you'll have
more time to be active together.
Date reviewed: September 2015
|
|