PARENTING

TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN TO EAT HEALTHILY

MODEL THE WAY

WRITTEN BY T.E. CUNNINGHAM

As parents we all share the same concern. How do we get our children to eat healthier and make them feel engaged and excited about it? It’s a tough one—made worse by a society of fast food and endless choices. My son was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, and I learned quickly that the challenge often increases for parents of children with particular circumstances. My son would eat only five things until he was eight years old. I remember a night of frustration and tears when I nearly wrestled him to the ground, trying to get him to taste a piece of pizza. When I achieved victory, he chewed slowly and looked at me. “Hey, Mom. Not bad.” And that was pizza! Forget about squash, cucumbers, or apples. It wasn’t happening. I learned slowly over time— and with many parents’ guidance— some tricks to turn things around.

Here are some quick tips to help put you and your children on a healthier path:

• Plan meals ahead of time, especially dinner. You will cook healthier foods for the family overall if you are intentional about what you are having. When meal planning, plan snacks as well and keep all meals on a schedule. A final note on this, do not make different meals for your children than you do for the adults; it sets a precedent that will be hard to eliminate. • Do not let your children skip breakfast, even if they aren’t hungry. If they don’t have much of an appetite, that’s okay. But get them to eat a healthy protein bar or a small yogurt. • Snacks should be kid-friendly, but avoid sugary or heavy carb items.

Healthy choices like carrots, peanut butter on celery, a small helping of low-fat cheese, or yogurt are solid choices.

• Teach your child the importance of water in a diet and make sure they stay hydrated. Avoid sugary drinks or drinks with artificial sweeteners, and go easy on juice and milk. Moderation is the key. • Introduce your children to new foods regularly and make a fun theme for the dining experience. If you want them to try pineapple, tell them you are having a luau and let them dress up for dinner. You can do this for cuisine from other countries. When it’s an adventure, they will become adventuresome! Condiments can also help you introduce your child to new foods. Follow the same rules on condiments, though. Don’t overdo it on the high-calorie ones, and use them in moderation. • Don’t keep junk food in the house.

Teach kids that treats are for unique moments and an occasional splurge.

So instead of having ice cream in the freezer, go out for frozen yogurt once a week. It gives them something to look forward to, and you send a message that sweets are not an everyday thing. • Take them to lunch or dinner anywhere they want to go once a month, no matter how indulgent! Let them order what they want (within reason).

Again, you are teaching them to make these rare splurges. • Get your children interested in cooking. It’s meaningful together time for you and your children, and you can educate them on good foods and positive cooking strategies as you go. • Forever lose the “happy plate” mentality. Making a child eat more when they are not hungry can result in overeating. Teach your children to only dish up or order what they can reasonably eat, and teach the importance of portion control.

You don’t want to have your children constantly feeling “policed” or watched when they eat. If you are overly intense you may, in fact, inadvertently cause your child to hide eating habits, which is not healthy. “If you find that your children are sneaking food, that is a sure sign the children need to feel like they have more input on food decisions at your house,” advises Julie Vandal, local registered and licensed dietitian. “Provide some additional options for snacks to pick or create a snack box with the snacks for the day in it and let your kids decide in what order to eat the foods that day. You can buy a pencil box at your local dollar store, let them decorate it, and help them fill it each day. Also, always try to have a fruit and vegetable option in the box.”

The final and most crucial lesson: model the behavior you wish to see in your child. Grabbing fast food every weekday at lunch because you don’t plan something to bring is a poor message to your children. Ultimately, they look to you for how to make decisions, so make healthy ones.

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