Creating Healthy Eaters

Beverly Pressey, MS,RD, Mom

Learn to Enjoy Eating with your Children

Family meals are importantFamily meal defined:

Everyone present

NO: TV, telephones, books, magazines, radio

Any meal of the day, any time of the day

Why are Family Meals Important

Studies have shown that children who eat 3 or more meals with their family:Better nutrition from home meals Better food choices away from homeBetter grades in schoolLess likely of abuse alcohol and drugsHave greater self esteem

Detriments to Family Meals

Preparation: shopping Cooking and clean-up

Frustration: deciding what to prepare to keep everyone happy

Arguing: trying to get your kids to eat

Selecting What to Prepare

It’s your job to decide what to offer at meals and offer it in an appropriate and inviting manner.By offering food-you have done your job.

The Two Food Groups:

Those the help you grow big and strong or growing foods

Those that are fun

Growing Foods

Fruits and Vegetables Meats, cheese, nuts, beans, fish, eggs,

tofu Whole grain foods Unprocessed food

Fun Foods

White flour bread and snack foods Fried foods High sugar foods: candy, juice Most baked goods High salt foods

Other Adult Responsibilities

Letting children help prepare meals. Require an appropriate level of table

manners. Supplying appropriate table setting and

eating environment. Offer food regularly, every 1.5-2.5 hours.

Not Your Job:

How much food a child eats. What order food is eaten. Whether a child eats or not. Bribing, rewarding, cajoling or tricking a child to

eat.

THESE ARE YOUR CHILD’S JOBDon’t be an over achiever!

Give your Child Responsibility

Serve themselves when they are able. Chose to eat or not. Realize the consequences of their

decisions.

Trust your Child, Show them that You Trust Them.

Let them keep their natural ability to know when they are hungry and sated (full).0-1years: feed on demand1 year-until they move out: Continue to follow

their lead

Offering Fun Food

When and how much is up to you. Let the child know that this is fun food so

they will only be allowed a certain amount. Always serve a growing food with a fun

food so a child can eat to satiety at every meal or snack.

Children Will Not Over or Under Eat

IF:They are offered regular meals and snacks of

a variety of healthy foods.They are not constantly and continuously

encouraged to eat after they have shown they are finished eating.

You Control Timing of Meals and Snacks

A hungry child is a motivated eater.Motivated eaters:

Eat Are more likely to try new foods

If Your Child Chooses Not to Eat

That is their choice. Remind them that there will be no more

food until… They will not starve or have any nutritional

deficiencies.

You Will Not:

Become a short order cook. Give into begging for food directly after

food was offered. Yell, threaten, bribe or punish.

“I’m hungry”

“I would be hungry too if I didn’t eat anything for dinner.

“I would be hungry too if I only ate a cookie for dinner.”

Snacks vs. Meals

Nutrition at snacks and meals should be equal, because your child doesn’t know the difference between a meal and a snack.

If meals and snacks before dinner are

mostly fun foods, you are now determined to get your child to eat dinner.

Dessert

Whether a dessert is a fun food or a good and good for you food, it should be offered to a child whether they ate or not.

milk

A child 1 or over only needs 2 cups of milk a day.

You do not need to serve milk with every meal.

Always offer water for thirst after the cup of milk is gone.

protein

Many young children don’t like meat. Children don’t need a large portion of a

protein food at each meal, there is some protein in all foods except fruits.

Children ages 1-3 need 16 grams for protein, they receive 14 grams from 2 cups of milk.

Beverly Pressey,MS, RD, Mom

Consultations, speaking, 1-1 counseling

Author: Simple and Savvy Strategies for Creating Healthy Meals

Contact at: PracticalFamilyNutrition.com