Ways to promote good eating habits without force.

Constance - posted on 06/24/2011 ( 6 moms have responded )

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I have seen so many post about parents who can't get their kids to eat specific foods. I know this is a daily battle in the majority of housholds. Even in mine even though my kids pretty much do eat everything I put on the table. It depends on the child and how I handle the foods they won't eat. My 7 year old is a vegetarian for the most part only a couple of times a month will he eat meat. He will eat fish but he mainly only comsumes fruits, veges, and pasta. He doesn't like cheese. My 6 year old doesn't like bread she will eat everything out of a sandwich and leave the bread. My other boys prefer meat with less veges. They eat pasta by the pound and meat as well. I make the adjustment for them to eat enough of the stuff they aren't fond of but I never force them to eat something I know they don't like at all.

One of the main ways I break through the barrier is they help me prepare our meals. The love to eat their handy work. I never yell or force them unless it is absolutly something they have never tried then they have to atleast take a couple of bites. I don't make them sit at the table until they finish their plate except for my 6 yr old. With her it iss only because she will say I am done and dump her plate and go to the refridgerator and get something else to eat. I know she is still hungey she is just done with the plate in front of her.

How do you deal with this at your table? Do you let them go or do you push for them to eat more just because it good for them?

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Chatty - posted on 06/24/2011

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I find that Roxanne is more receptive to eating healthy foods when I make a big deal and get myself a plate. She's pretty easily coached into doing the right thing....at least so far, at this age.

She also helps me prepare her meals. Definitely encouraging.

Chatty - posted on 06/24/2011

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I'm pretty lenient with Roxanne at the table because she's always been a really good little eater. Right from go-time, I've always presented her with healthy options and allowed her to choose. "Do you want carrots or celery with your hummus?".......more times than not she'll pick both. Sometimes she'll ask for tomatoes too. I'm good with that. As long as she's eating and making healthy choices, I'm happy.

Kids don't have control over many things in their lives, so what they put in their bodies is one area where they can assert that control. We can't force feed them. We need to make meals and food a happy, positive experience or we're setting them up for a world of problems when they're older. Just my opinion....

Lissa - posted on 06/24/2011

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Well i gave my answer based on what we do at the table. We do a huge number of other things to get them involved in their food. They grow their own veg, they make all sorts of food, they like making fish cakes because it is so messy. We have healthy snacks available pretty much all the time but I'm not going to give them dinner and then if they don't eat it give them another choice. If you keep giving kids choices because they decide they don't want whats on the plate it will never end.

Constance - posted on 06/24/2011

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Personally I think just snaacking on something healthy is just as good or better when it comes to mealtime. All my kids eat like food it going fall of the face of the earth but they munch throughout the day. I have weight issues on both sides of my family and not one of my kids is considered heavy. I truelly believe it is because they snack and what they snack on is healthy but they never get so hungey that they shovel food in and then they have had too much. My 15 yr old daughter will compllain around that time of the month that her pants are tight and she needs to lose a couple of pounds. I always look at her in complete shock She stands 5'9 and is a flipping size 00. She never put on the extra weight to go through puberty and of course within a couple of day of her period starting her pants fit right.
I just believe like everything else in life whether it is food, drinks, time in the sun, and everything else moderation is the key. If you teach your children at an early age to eat healthy and show them how to prepare food so it has flavor they will take that with them through life. Also as parents we have to be willing to try new things because you never know what you are going to love and it shows our children that trying new things is good for them. My kids even eat foods such as spinach, squash and all those other yucky veges that most kids won't even look at. I am even teaching my sister who just a year younger than me how she can prepare her favorite meals with half the calories and fat but keep all the flavor. So far she has lost 20 lbs still has a lot to go but she is doing it the right way. And she will be healthier in the long run.

Jaime - posted on 06/24/2011

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I love the idea of getting them to help with dinner. I think one of the main culprits for not eating properly is that kids are so distracted these days. I know that I'm guilty of having the t.v. on during dinner because I live in a small apartment with no formal dining/living room. One of the things I'm working on is to have it be more quiet during dinner, so that the focus is on the meal and not what's on t.v. Despite that fact though, I think that toddlers especially are always going to go through stages where they have difficulty eating. I encourage healthy snacks throughout the day and plenty of water, so when meal time rolls around and not much is eaten it's less of a stress to think that my son isn't getting enough nutrients. He doesn't snack constantly...twice maybe three times (apple, slices of watermelon, cucumber chunks, cheese) but sometimes he's just not hungry at meal time. Last night he didn't touch anything on his plate and wasn't a bit phased by it when bed time rolled around. Today he's eating great so far. I'm less worried about it because I know he eats healthy, so I think that's more important than quantity.

Lissa - posted on 06/24/2011

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I give them food that's healthy and that they like, they can choose whether or not to eat it but I wont give them other things until the next meal time if they don't. I don't believe in pushing a child to eat, I think that only promotes an unhealthy attitude towards food.

It really is that simple eat it or don't but you wont get anything else. If anyone wants to start doing this I would suggest that you make meals that are served or can be served cold that way if they do complain of hunger you can give the plate back and say here you go then. After a week they should get the point.