Establishing Healthy Lifelong Eating Habits
By John Richey, Director of Food Services
As parents, we want to give our children the best chance for a healthy life. One of the things we can start with is laying the foundation for making healthy food choices and establishing a healthy relationship with food. There is no magic formula for this, but there are a few things that have been shown to be effective in meeting this goal:
- Explain food choices and the importance of eating a variety of colors and types of food.
- Children have smaller stomachs than adults and thus need to eat smaller, more frequent meals. Consistent timing of meals and snacks is key.
- Have children try the most nutrient-dense items on their plates first. Start the meal by having them try the vegetable first.
- Everyone at the dinner table eats the same thing. Do not let your picky eater turn you into a short order cook. Remember, it may take 15 - 20 exposures to a food before a child decides if they like it or not.
- Set a good example for your child to follow by eating a colorful plate yourself. The more our children see healthy habits, the more likely they are to emulate them.Do not use food as a reward and do not force your child to "finish your plate."
- Involve your child in shopping for food as well as parts of the meal preparation, even if this means setting the table.
- Ask your children what they had to eat for lunch at school and check out the online menus regularly. You may be surprised to see and hear that they were recently served such dishes as roasted fresh kohlrabi, honey roasted Brussel sprouts, sautéed greens, and kale chips.