In our installment about children’s health, I offer up some tips and tricks on helping kids make better food choices for parents and caregivers to employ. These approaches are recommended by the Action for Healthy Kids organization.
(1) No more ‘clean plate club’ — Don’t force a child to clean his or her plate to end the meal. Allow a child’s stomach to tell his or her brain when he or she is full.
(2) Discourage dieting— Make the distinction that choosing healthy foods is a change in habit, not a diet.
(3) Lead by example— Parents and caregivers should plan healthy meals that are eaten together with the children. Adults should be seen eating their vegetables and drinking their milk. Kids are most likely to eat healthy foods at the family dinner table with you.
(4) Make your instructions tangible– Don’t just tell kids how much sugar is in soda — show them by measuring it out in teaspoons or sugar cubes.
(5) Use the ‘one bite taste’ method— Don’t force a child to eat. The taste for a new food occurs over time. It may take as many as 10 to 15 times before they acquire a taste for their brussel sprouts so just be patient.
(6) Get the kids involved— Engage children in food planning, selection, preparation and cooking. This is the perfect opportunity to teach kids that food comes from the farm and not the local grocer, age-appropriate serving portions, the food groups, etc.
(7) Food is ‘fuel’ — Teach kids to think of their stomachs as gas tanks and not to ‘overflow’ your gas tank.
(8) Start early— Likes and dislikes are formed early so start teaching kids about healthy habits from infancy.
(9) Teach kids to use ‘tools’— Teach children how to read food labels, MyPyramid charts, shopping lists and recipes.
(10) Provide variety— Expose kids to a variety of low-fat, fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. You may need to visit more than one grocer to cover the gamut of available foods.
(11) Motivate— Tie the behavior you seek from your child to what matters to them — energy, positive body image, athletics, strength and fitness, school performance, etc.
(12) Track progress— Have your child track how they feel — better quality of sleep, improved mood and energy level, less headaches or stomachaches — as they progress toward eating healthier foods.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, less than 2 percent of children eat the minimum number of recommended daily servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy. This has led to low dietary intake of calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium and Vitamin E. Children’s eating habits also impact their behavior, readiness to learn and overall well-being. When parents and caregivers set a positive example and provide healthy food options, over time kids learn to make better food choices.
photo by: joguldi
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DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.
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