Everyone eats; everyone should participate. Involve children in setting the table and then clearing it when finished. They love to cook too, so don't leave them out of the process of preparing the meal. They are more willing to eat what they have created. Just think what they might eat if you helped them grow a garden!
Give children the freedom to choose foods they want to eat and how much. They have opinions and likes just as you do. If they don't want to eat their side of cooked carrots, offer them raw instead. Give choices that you are willing to accept. At least they have a choice and feel some control in the situation. There are plenty of recipes for healthy dips, too, if that helps; try Greek yogurt, honey, salsa, etc.
Children often will reject a food for reasons that have nothing to do with the food being served. Some reasons could be: Their mood, Stress at home or school, They are going through a period of slow growth, They are showing their independence, Anger because they had to quit playing and come eat.
Allow children to serve themselves but pay attention to your dishes and utensils. Kids have little fingers and small hands. They can be more independent if you give them the tools to be so. You can expect overloaded plates or too heavy cups if they use adult sized tools. And, some foods are just messy. Be creative. For instance, use a straw for tomato soup.Avoid shaming children for not eating. Being forced to eat when they are not hungry or when they don't prefer the food in front of them causes stress. Offer a healthy choice later and don't bribe with dessert. We don't want children to overeat either. Offer nutritional choices, healthy grains and vegetables for snacks. Limit unhealthy foods and high calorie snacks and drinks.
The goal is to teach them to make nutritional choices but understand that some things, in moderation, are okay. If you tell your kids that sugar is never allowed, and they are constantly denied, the wanting can become overpowering and they will binge when you are not looking.
Model healthy habits. Don't tell a child to make healthy food choices in between sips of your 32 ounce soda or mouthfuls of that candy bar, and don't complain about your 15 extra pounds while doing so. If you are unhappy about your body image, choose healthy ways to improve it. Model exercise, good food choices and a healthy view that every body is different.
Give children enough time to enjoy eating meals and snacks. We are a rushed society but shoveling food in to your mouth three times a day is not healthy. Time to sit with your family, enjoy a good meal and communicate is beneficial to you all. Schedule the time if you have to.Keep in mind the different ethnic backgrounds of the children. If unfamiliar with foods from the different cultures, ask the parents about the kinds of food they tend to serve at home. Share these foods and information in your home or center.
Food is everywhere. There are so many foods to choose from. We have favorites that we sometimes indulge in too much, and things we detest and wouldn't touch with a ten foot fork. You feel that way, understand that kids feel that way too.
No comments:
Post a Comment