PREVENTING FOOD FIGHTS.....getting your kids to eat healthy.
One of the most important things to happy-healthy meals is to stay calm! Children can feel tension. Pressure and negativeness can lead to over and under eating. We should strive to create a positive environment around mealtime so kids can learn intuitive eating (listening to what their little bodies need). Another important aspect is understanding what your role as a parent is and also what your kids role is.....Ellyn Satter a Registered Dietitian and author of "How to get you kid to eat but not too much" divides the responsibilities into children and adults.
Adults are responsible for the food choices served (including beverages) and where and when the meal is served. They also have the responsibility to make it calm, and enjoyable experience. Adults can also teach children table manners, especially as they get older.
On the other hand children are responsible to deciding whether to eat the foods that are served and how much.
This sounds simple but it is hard thing for many parents. Force feeding doesn't work, especially with a stubborn child! Back off and let the child choose from what you give as the choices. This allows them to start making their own decisions.
Some Tips to Happy-Healthy Meals:
Family Meals: More and more studies are finding that family meals usually are more nutritious, and that teens who regularly eat family meals are less likely to smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs.
Scheduled Meals: Kids need set time for meals and snacks....eating on-the-run doesn't do well with children and the meals on-the-run tend to be less nutritious and kids usually don't eat them as well.
Teach by Example: Eat the foods you want your kids to eat, talk about how good it tastes, and how the healthy foods make you strong and smart. Also practice good table manners, so you kids can learn too.
Slow it down: Turn off the TV and cell phones..........lets talk
Adapted from No More Food Fights from eatright.org
Adults are responsible for the food choices served (including beverages) and where and when the meal is served. They also have the responsibility to make it calm, and enjoyable experience. Adults can also teach children table manners, especially as they get older.
On the other hand children are responsible to deciding whether to eat the foods that are served and how much.
This sounds simple but it is hard thing for many parents. Force feeding doesn't work, especially with a stubborn child! Back off and let the child choose from what you give as the choices. This allows them to start making their own decisions.
Some Tips to Happy-Healthy Meals:
Family Meals: More and more studies are finding that family meals usually are more nutritious, and that teens who regularly eat family meals are less likely to smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs.
Scheduled Meals: Kids need set time for meals and snacks....eating on-the-run doesn't do well with children and the meals on-the-run tend to be less nutritious and kids usually don't eat them as well.
Teach by Example: Eat the foods you want your kids to eat, talk about how good it tastes, and how the healthy foods make you strong and smart. Also practice good table manners, so you kids can learn too.
Slow it down: Turn off the TV and cell phones..........lets talk
Adapted from No More Food Fights from eatright.org