expensive and I’m not going to do it anymore. This is my official announcement: this is not B*rger K*ing;
you cannot have it your way. You will eat what I make and like it.
I believe it all began on the way home from the hospital with my first-born. I realized that I was
responsible for keeping this little tiny person alive. My brain misfired and all I could think was “I must feed
him! He must eat (or surely he will die)”. The breast-milk was easy. It was all the other foods that were
hard.
Somewhere between hiding the pureed peas under a mound of apple sauce, and a special request for
peanut butter and jelly instead of tuna salad--- and viola, I was preparing 12 meals a day!
So how do we stop the madness? There are some very simple steps that parents can take to assure
healthy eating for their child/ren. The first step is to remind ourselves that we are role models. If we are
eating vital, wholesome foods - whole grains, beans, fresh vegetables and fruit - our children will be more
likely to follow suit. Here are some tips for good eating habits:
1. Honor mealtimes.
Studies show that children who sit down to regular shared family meals have more emotional stability, do
better in school, and eat a greater variety of foods.
2. Provide excellent choices.
Remember that you pay for the groceries. They’ll eat what you buy. If you don’t want your child to eat
something, don’t buy it. Keep the cupboards and frig stocked with things you can feel good about your
child eating.
3. Announce that what’s served is served.
Make only one meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. If every dish of the meal you’ve prepared is rejected,
allow the child to be excused from the table until the next meal.
4. Include a winner with every meal.
Most kids like things like fresh fruit, applesauce, bread and butter, or potatoes. Whatever you choose for
the meal, try to make sure there is something on the table that your child will like, even if it is just a side
dish.
5. Refrain from bribing, rewarding or punishing with food.
This sets up hard-to-reverse messages - like desserts and sweets are something you get if you’ve been
good or cooperated.
6. Set clear rules about special treats and favorite “less-nutritious” meals.
Say you have a child that loves macaroni and cheese. Will only eat macaroni and cheese. Don’t deny
total access, just set up when and how often you think it’s healthy and reasonable to have it. Make it clear
- we have macaroni and cheese on Friday nights.
7. Create appealing presentations.
Some kids don’t like their food mixed up or touching. They might try a sauce if it was on the side to dip
into rather than smothering the dish. Pay attention to how foods are put on the plate. Usually the simpler,
the better.
Resources:
Lair, Cynthia, Feeding the Whole Family. Seattle:Moon Smile Press, 1998.
McLaughlin, A. T. Family Dinners Provide Food for Thought as Well. The Christian Science Monitor
March 14, 1996.
Pope, Sharon, "Good Nutrition for the Very Young", PCC (Puget Consumer's Co-op) Sound Consumer,
No. 181, April 1988.
Smith, Lendon, Dr., Feed Your Kids Right. New York, NY: Mc Graw-Hill, 1979.
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