Following some basic strategies that can help you encourage
your kids to eat right and maintain a healthy weight.
Here are 10 key rules to live by:
From the foods you offer, kids get to choose
what they will eat or whether to eat at all - Kids
need to have some say in the matter. Schedule regular meal and snack times. From the selections you
offer, let them choose what to eat and how much of it they want. This may seem
like a little too much freedom. But if you follow step 1, your kids will be
choosing only from the foods you buy and serve.
Quit the "clean-plate rule." - Let kids stop eating when they feel they've had enough. Lots of
parents grew up under the clean-plate rule, but that approach doesn't help kids
listen to their own bodies when they feel full. When kids notice and respond to
feelings of fullness, they're less likely to overeat.
Start them young - Food preferences are developed early in life, so offer variety.
Likes and dislikes begin forming even when kids are babies. You may need to
serve a new food a few different times for a child to accept it. Don't
force a child to eat, but offer a few bites. With older kids, ask them to try
one bite.
Parents control the supply lines - You decide which foods to buy and when to serve them. Though kids will
pester their parents for less nutritious foods, adults should be in charge when
deciding which foods are regularly stocked in the house. Kids won't go hungry.
They'll eat what's available in the cupboard and fridge at home. If their
favorite snack isn't all that nutritious, you can still buy it once in a while
so they don't feel deprived.
Drink calories count - Soda and other sweetened drinks add extra calories and get in the
way of good nutrition. Water and milk are
the best drinks for kids. Juice is fine when it's 100%, but kids don't need
much of it — 4 to 6 ounces a day is enough for preschoolers.
Put sweets in their place - Occasional sweets are fine, but don't turn dessert into the main
reason for eating dinner. When dessert is the prize for eating dinner, kids
naturally place more value on the cupcake than the broccoli. Try to stay
neutral about foods.
Rewrite the kids' menu - Who says kids only want to eat hot dogs, pizza, burgers, and
macaroni and cheese? When eating out, let your kids try new foods and they
might surprise you with their willingness to experiment. You can start by
letting them try a little of whatever you ordered or ordering an appetizer for
them to try.
Food is not love - Find better ways to say "I love you." When foods are
used to reward kids and show affection, they may start using food to cope with stress or other emotions. Offer hugs,
praise, and attention instead of food treats.
Limit TV and computer time - When you do, you'll avoid mindless snacking and encourage
activity. Research has shown that kids who cut down on TV-watching also reduced their
percentage of body fat. When TV and computer time are limited, they'll find
more active things to do. And limiting "screen time" means you'll
have more time to be active together.
Kids do as you do - Be a role model and eat healthy yourself. When trying to teach
good eating habits, try to set the best example possible. Choose nutritious
snacks, eat at the table, and don't skip meals.
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