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Growing up Good Eaters
- By Sharon Erdrich
- Childrens Health, Nutrition
Modelling Healthy Eating Habits for Your Children
Helping children develop a healthy relationship with food is one of the most valuable life skills parents can pass on. Children learn so much from observing, and mealtimes offer the perfect opportunity to model good nutrition and healthy eating habits. Encouraging adventurous eating early on can set kids up for a lifetime of enjoying a wide variety of nutritious foods. Here’s how you can become a great role model for healthy eating, even if you’re still working on your own health goals.
Be a Role Model, Not a Food Policeman
One of the most effective ways to teach healthy eating is simply by leading by example. If your children see you reaching for fruits and vegetables instead of snacks, they are much more likely to do the same. Studies have shown that children eat more fruits and vegetables when parents emphasise their importance, without being too rigid or strict. It’s not about forcing children to eat every healthy item on their plate, but instead about consistently offering a variety of nutritious options.
How to Encourage Healthy Eating
Here are some simple strategies you can start today:
Buy fruits and vegetables over junk food. If healthy foods are what’s available, your kids are more likely to eat them. While you don’t want to turn mealtimes into a battle, make it clear that healthy eating is a priority.
Teach portion control. In our culture, many of us have lost touch with our natural hunger cues (hunger is not that noisy rumbling in the lower belly!). Help children learn to stop eating when they’re full by avoiding the “clean your plate” mentality. Let kids decide when they’ve had enough, rather than pushing them to eat when they’re no longer hungry.
Make Mealtimes Family Time
Family meals are not only a great way to bond, but they also reinforce healthy eating habits. Studies show that families who eat together tend to have healthier diets, and kids are more likely to practice portion control when food is served family-style.
Turn off the TV during meals (and keep devices off the table). Make family meals a screen-free time. The focus should be on the food and family connection, not distractions. It also prevents overeating, which is common when kids are focused on the TV rather than their hunger cues.
Set a positive atmosphere. Family meals are a time to relax and enjoy food together. Avoid arguments or pressure about what or how much your child is eating.
Limit Screen Time and Encourage Active Living
Healthy eating isn’t just about what’s on the plate – it’s also about leading an active lifestyle. Encourage outdoor activities like walking, running, or playing sports together as a family. Children who see their parents being active are more likely to adopt similar habits. Limiting screen time is a key part of this, especially when it comes to TV watching, which is often associated with mindless snacking.
Experiment with New Foods
One of the best ways to help your child develop a diverse palate is by regularly introducing new foods. Children may need to try new foods multiple times before they develop a taste for them, so persistence is key. Try serving new fruits and vegetables in small, bite-sized pieces with fun dips or sauces. Remember, making it fun can make all the difference.
Top Tips for Getting Kids to Try New FoodS
Try one or two new recipes each week. Some will be a hit, others might not. But keep experimenting!
Serve new foods with familiar ones. A small piece of something new alongside a favourite food can make trying new things less intimidating.
Encourage but don’t force. While it’s great to encourage kids to taste something new, don’t pressure them. Sometimes just touching or smelling a new food is a big step.
Getting the kids involved in meal preparation. Involving children in the kitchen not only makes them more interested in what they’re eating but also helps them feel a sense of pride and ownership over their meals. Plus, it’s a great way to teach them about nutrition, flavours, and the importance of a balanced diet while spending quality time together.
Starting this from a young age is a fantastic way to encourage healthy eating habits and create a positive relationship with food. Kids are great to get up at the bench, involved in simple tasks like washing vegetables, stirring ingredients, or setting the table. Encourage them to taste things as you do.
As they get older, they can help with measuring ingredients, cutting soft foods with child-safe utensils, or choosing a recipe to make together.
By the time kids are 10 or 11 years old, they can be “chef” one night a week. Get them involved in choosing the recipe, doing the shopping and helping them with meal prep. What a life skill! From about age 12-13, you can also enjoy one-on-one time with them trying out new cuisines and learn new techniques by enrolling in a weekly cooking class.
Make Breakfast a Priority
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and while adults may take this a little so seriously, it’s certainly very important for growing, active children. Breakfast is a great opportunity to start the day with a nutritious boost. Studies show that children who eat breakfast perform better at school and are less likely to be overweight. A healthy breakfast can include a balance of protein, whole grains, and fresh fruit. Here are some ideas:
- Oatmeal with berries and nuts.
- Whole-grain toast with reduced-fat cheese and slices of cucumber.
- Fruit and yoghurt parfaits.
- Scrambled eggs or veggie omelettes.
Pack Nutritious Lunches
A healthy lunch is just as important as breakfast. By packing a lunch at home, you can ensure that your child gets a balanced meal. Think of including proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Some easy, packable options include:
- Wraps with lean meats and veggie slices.
- Wholemeal pita pockets wedges with cheese and chicken.
- Falafels or vege fritters (think corn, grated zucchini, carrot & potato)
- Fruit and vegetable sticks (capsicum, carrot, blanched broccoli, cauliflower) with yoghurt or hummus for dipping.
- Blanched (still crunchy) green beans
- Corn on the cob.
Don’t Forget Healthy Snacks
Children need snacks, but not all snacks are created equal. Stock your kitchen with healthy, easy-to-grab options to keep them satisfied between meals. A bowl of fresh fruit on the counter or a tray of cut veggies in the fridge can go a long way in curbing unhealthy snack habits.
Nutritious Snack Ideas:
- Trail mix with nuts, toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds, a bit of dried fruit, and coconut strips.
- Low-fat cheese sticks or single-serving yoghurt cups.
- Hummus with whole-grain crackers or veggie sticks.
The Power of Positive Reinforcement
Praising children for trying new foods can go a long way in encouraging them to be more adventurous eaters. A study from Aston University in the UK showed that children were more likely to eat vegetables when parents modelled eating the food themselves and offered praise. This method, combined with repeated exposure to the food, was shown to significantly increase children’s willingness to eat previously rejected vegetables.
Avoid Common Mealtime Mistakes
Mealtime should be a positive experience for the whole family. Avoid focusing too much on what your child is or isn’t eating, and instead create a stress-free, enjoyable environment. Here are a few common mistakes to avoid:
– Focusing too much on the food. Pressure to eat often backfires. If your child feels stressed or forced, they’re likely to push back.
– Letting children run the show. While it’s important to give your child choices, allowing them to dictate the menu can enable picky eating habits. It’s okay to serve food they don’t love every now and then.
– Assuming your child won’t eat certain foods. Avoid statements like “They won’t eat vegetables” in front of your child, as this reinforces the idea that they don’t like them. Instead, keep offering a variety of foods and let your child’s taste buds develop naturally.
15 Transformative Phrases to Use with Fussy Eaters
- “Listen to your tummy – is it happy and full?”
- “It’s okay if you don’t want to taste it today. Maybe you could touch or smell it first?”
- “Dinner is over in 10 minutes. The kitchen will be closed after that.”
- “You don’t have to try it.”
- “Did you know that taste buds grow up, and tasting different things helps with that?”
- “We need different foods to grow strong. Let’s try something new before more bread.”
- “Snack time is over, but dinner will be ready soon.”
- “You don’t have to eat\ [this/now/yet] but let’s sit together for family time.”
- “How can we make this food yummier for you?”
- “Mmmm, I forgot how much I love carrots.”
- “There’s a veggie tray if you’re hungry before dinner.”
- “Great job for tasting it!”
- “This is sweet like strawberries.”
- “This food is crunchy, like your favourite crackers.”
- “You’re doing great by just tasting it today.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In summary, raising good eaters is about creating a positive environment around food, making mealtimes enjoyable, and offering a variety of healthy options without pressure. By modelling healthy eating habits, being mindful of using enabling and empowering language (that leaves open possibility), and encouraging kids to be adventurous with their food choices, you can help them build a lifelong love of nutritious eating.
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References
Chaudhary A, et al. 2020. Promoting Healthy Eating among Young People-A Review of the Evidence of the Impact of School-Based Interventions. Nutrients. doi: 10.3390/nu12092894.
Kamaleddine AN, et al. 2022. Effect of Screen Time on Physical and Mental Health and Eating Habits During COVID-19 Lockdown in Lebanon. Psychiatry Investig. doi: 10.30773/pi.2021.0239.
Mahmood L, et al. 2021. The Influence of Parental Dietary Behaviors and Practices on Children’s Eating Habits. Nutrients. doi: 10.3390/nu13041138.
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