Jul 2008
How To Get Kids To Eat Well
12/Jul/08 12:53 Filed in: News
by Rosie Blitchington
Centeno
as happy as a kid in a cabbage patch?
I have been thinking of writing a post on kids and eating and then changed my mind as it seemed like a tangent away from my focus. But guess what? A recently released research study proved that it is right on topic.
They found the indicator for having kids who eat well was modeling the behavior. That's right--It's not a free-for-all permissiveness, where kids eat whatever they want when they want nor is it authoritarian control, which they describe as "banning certain foods, for instance, or using pressure to get them to eat fruits and vegetables."
The most effective way for parents to have kids who learn how to eat healthful diets is to set some limits and eat that way themselves.
This is somewhat intuitive if you know about how children learn everything in life and how they develop and bond to their caregivers. But some of us, who weren't raised that way, sometimes need to reprogram ourselves, especially with media and many of the people around us unaware of these dynamics.
Let me tell you--I did not learn how to eat healthy from my family or culture. But I decided to reprogram myself and then give my child the advantage of growing up that way, because I knew how challenging it was to overcome eating habits learned in childhood.
Some ideas I use from my child's babyhood on:
as happy as a kid in a cabbage patch?
I have been thinking of writing a post on kids and eating and then changed my mind as it seemed like a tangent away from my focus. But guess what? A recently released research study proved that it is right on topic.
They found the indicator for having kids who eat well was modeling the behavior. That's right--It's not a free-for-all permissiveness, where kids eat whatever they want when they want nor is it authoritarian control, which they describe as "banning certain foods, for instance, or using pressure to get them to eat fruits and vegetables."
The most effective way for parents to have kids who learn how to eat healthful diets is to set some limits and eat that way themselves.
This is somewhat intuitive if you know about how children learn everything in life and how they develop and bond to their caregivers. But some of us, who weren't raised that way, sometimes need to reprogram ourselves, especially with media and many of the people around us unaware of these dynamics.
Let me tell you--I did not learn how to eat healthy from my family or culture. But I decided to reprogram myself and then give my child the advantage of growing up that way, because I knew how challenging it was to overcome eating habits learned in childhood.
Some ideas I use from my child's babyhood on:
- Believe It is possible for kid's to learn to eat well and enjoy it.
- Connect with child while providing food. To create pleasant eating experiences feed children while touching, making eye contact, smiling and a slight "yes" nod of the head. Humans are social and the sharing and giving of food is a nurturing behavior and a basic way to create a bond with a child.
- Make sure you offer hugs or other forms of nurturing to a child who is upset instead of always offering food.
- Use very little processed foods. For us, this included commercial baby foods and many of the prepared snacks that are common to give babies, toddlers and kids. And no, I didn't elaborately prepare my own baby food. While I hold that as a lovely idea, it just wasn't high on my priority list as a single mom with the resources available to me. What I did was get a bit creative using the foods that I ate myself, which could be prepared baby and toddler. And I trusted my baby to explore food and eat as her body told her to without me forcing or cajoling.
- Use food with very little additives. Become a label reader to avoid chemicals and especially high fructose corn syrup.
- Use food that is as close to natural state as possible as snacks. Broccoli florets, carrot sticks, edamame, hard-boiled eggs, corn on the cob (cooked or raw), cherry tomatoes, skinless and boneless sardines, watermelon, etc...
- Take those snacks outside. Often kids will eat foods outside that they won't consider at the table.
- Use very little processed sugar. I'm always looking for alternatives. There are a lot out there. (Look for my next post for some great summer ideas)
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