Over the past two days we have focused on getting plenty of real food, whole fruit and an array of veges into your little darlings.
This is
all very well, you might be saying- but my child won't touch a veggie! I'm worried s/he isn't getting the necessary nutrients.
No problem - to ensure they get all of the nutrients covered just make sure they eat plenty of:
- apricots
- honeydew (yellow melon)
- mango
- peaches and plums
- beans
- nuts
- avocado
- eggs
- citrus
- berries
Helping your child to eat the
right amount
Given the right conditions, children tend to be intuitive eaters. Their body cues innately tell them how much they need.
Some days they’ll eat more, some days less. Their bodies will naturally regulate their intake over the long term. So trying to count calories for otherwise healthy kids is wasted effort.
Kids’
amazing abilities to self-regulate can be messed up by things like:
- inappropriate portion sizing
- processed foods (replacing vital nutrients with additives such as sugar and MSG making kids want more and more)
- restricting foods
- labelling some foods as “bad” (these two create guilt - food and guilt should not be
used in the same sentence)
- eating while rushed, distracted, or on the go (not eating mindfully and responding to the cues for fullness properly).
Strategies that DON’T work
As a parent, you’ll no doubt want to make sure your kids are happy and healthy. So you might:
- offer them food
as a reward when they’re upset;
- have strict rules about “good” and “bad” foods;
- push them to finish dinner;
- try bribing them (“If you finish your spinach you’ll get ice cream”).
Unfortunately, the strategies above only make things worse. Plus, it’s a lot of work for
you!
So try these strategies instead to ensure that kids keep eating intuitively and naturally for life:
- Serve them a variety of unprocessed whole foods.
- Have every one eat the same at the table even if it is a hated food, everyone gets it so too does your child, even if it's a tiny bit.
- Serve appropriate portions.
- Give them the illusion of choice and self-determination (e.g. “You can pick one vegetable you’d like to eat tonight”).
- Let them stop when they’re no longer hungry (instead of insisting that they clear their plate).
- Avoid strict “eating rules” or references to children’s weight.
- Don’t keep unhealthy choices in the house. Make healthy choices abundantly available. Don’t make this a big deal; just make poor choices simply and quietly… unavailable.
- Involve kids in shopping, menu planning, and cooking.
- Slow down.
- Eat together as a family as often as possible; make meal time family time and focus on good
conversation rather than actual eating.
- Ignore the negative and praise the positive, shouting and threatening will only make things worse and build a good foundation for bad eating habits eating later on in life.
- Make it fun!! Special plates, 'magic' cutlery, shapes, funny face presentations of foods, picnics on the living room floor, tapas style meals, kids cook for mum and dad night (pizza
anyone?!).
Set a good example!!!!!
It’s up to you to take the lead. You’re in charge here.
It’s your job to provide the food. But it’s the child’s choice whether to eat it. When kids are hungry, they’ll eat.
Set a good example of healthy eating yourself - again everyone has the
same variety as each other on the plates.
Ultimately, children pay more attention to what their parents do than what their parents say. So set a great example and chances are, your children will follow where you lead.
Have fun and keep it positive!!
Kim
Kim Chandler
Nutritional Therapist
Eat Well and Work Out
07875 163901
www.eatwellandworkout.com
