Guide your kids to eat better

Healthy eating is essential for your children’s
growth and development. It will stabilise your
children’s energy, sharpen their minds, and
even improve their congenital and cognitive
development.
Experts have linked poor nutrition in children
to poor academic performance. While peer
pressure and TV commercials for junk food
can make getting kids to eat well seem
impossible, there are steps parents can take to
instill healthy eating habits without turning
meal times into a battle zone.
By encouraging healthy eating habits now, you
can make a huge impact on your children’s
lifelong relationship with food and give them
the best opportunity to grow into healthy,
confident adults. Children develop a natural
preference for the foods they enjoy the most;
so, the challenge for parents is to make
healthy choices appealing.
Of course, no matter how good your
intentions, it’s always going to be difficult to
convince your eight-year-old that eating
beans is as sweet a treat as a cookie.
However, you can ensure that your children’s
diet is as nutritious and wholesome as
possible, even while allowing for some of
their favourite treats.
The childhood impulse to imitate is strong, so
it’s important parents act as a role model for
their kids. It’s no good asking your child to
eat fruit and vegetables while you gorge on
potato chips and soft drinks.
It is especially more difficult for parents to
get their toddlers and teenagers to eat a
balanced meal. A nutritionist, who’s also the
mother of seven-year-old triplets, Dr. Shirley
Smith, says toddlers should be introduced to
new tastes and textures as they transition
from baby food to “real” food.
Smith says, “Parents must keep in mind that
toddlers have very small stomachs. It may be
better to feed them five or six small meals a
day, rather than three large ones. Depending
on age, size, and activity level, your toddler
needs between 1,000-1,400 calories a day. It
is perfectly normal for your child to be
ravenous one day and shun food the next.
Don’t worry if your child’s diet isn’t up to par
every day — as long as he or she seems
satisfied and is getting a well-rounded diet.”
The nutritionist warns that parents should
avoid giving their kids processed, packaged,
restaurant, and fast food. Smith adds that
processed foods like canned soups or frozen
dinners contain hidden sodium that could
make them hypertensive and obese as they
grow older. “Try as much as possible to cook
fresh meals for your kids,” she counsels.
She also gives tried-and-true tips for getting
children to eat vegetables, drink milk, try new
foods, and more.
•Have regular family meals. Knowing dinner is
served at approximately the same time every
night and that the entire family will be sitting
down together is comforting and enhances
appetite. Breakfast is another great time for a
family meal, especially since kids who eat
breakfast tend to do better in school.
• Cook more meals at home. Eating home
cooked meals is healthier for the whole family
and sets a great example for kids about the
importance of food. Restaurant meals tend to
have more fat, sugar, and salt. Save dining out
for special occasions.
• Get kids involved. Children enjoy
helping adults to shop for groceries, selecting
what goes in their lunch box, and preparing
dinner. It’s also a chance for you to teach
them about the nutritional values of different
foods, and (for older children) how to read
food labels.
• Make a variety of healthy snacks
available instead of empty calorie snacks.
Keep plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grain
snacks, and healthy beverages (water, milk,
pure fruit juice) around and easily accessible
so kids become used to reaching for healthy
snacks instead of empty calorie snacks like
soda, chips, or cookies.
• Limit portion sizes. Don’t insist your
child cleans the plate, and never use food as
a reward or bribe. As hard as this may be, try
not to comment on what or how much your
kids are eating. Be as neutral as possible.
Remember, you’ve done your job as a parent
by serving balanced meals; your kids are
responsible for eating them. If you play food
enforcer — saying things like ‘eat your
vegetables’ — your child will only resist.
• Make mornings count. Most families
don’t eat enough fibre on a daily basis, and
breakfast is an easy place to sneak it in. Look
for high-fibre cereals for a quick fix or sneak
in soy. Even if your kids don’t have milk
allergies, soy milk is a terrific source of
healthy phytochemicals. Kids don’t like soy
milk, but they also don’t notice when it’s
hidden in a recipe. Use the low-fat, calcium-
fortified kind in some recipes that call for
milk, such as oatmeal, mashed potatoes, and
sauces.
•Get kids cooking. If your children become
involved in choosing or preparing meals,
they’ll be more interested in eating what
they’ve created. Take them to the store, and
let them choose produce for you. If they’re
old enough, allow them to cut up vegetables
and mix them into a salad. Although they may
refuse to eat fresh fruit, blend it as a juice.
•Cut back on junk. Remember, you — not
your kids — are in charge of the foods that
enter the house. By having fewer junk foods
around, you’ll force your children to eat more
fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy
products.
•Be a role model. If you’re constantly on a
diet or have erratic eating habits, your
children will grow up thinking that this sort of
behaviour is normal. Be honest with yourself
about the kinds of food messages you’re
sending. Trust your body to tell you when
you’re hungry and when you’re full, and your
kids will learn to do the same.
•Adjust your attitude. Realise that what your
kids eat over time is what matters. Having
popcorn at the movies or eating an ice-cream
sundae are some of life’s real pleasures. As
long as you balance these times with smart
food choices and physical activity, your
children will be fine.
Remember, they may protest at first, but they
will get used to the routine. Cook some soul-
food for your family this weekend.