Teaching Kids to Eat Healthy
Teaching kids to eat well can be tricky. You don’t want to
give them more facts than they can grasp or turn every meal into a
lecture. If you wait too long, they
could pick up unhealthy habits in the meantime.
“Kids need to know that every food they put into their bodies
affects them,” says Danelle Fisher, MD, chair of pediatrics at Providence Saint
John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.
Parents can get that message across by talking with kids about
the food they put in their bodies, why it matters, and how they can learn to
make the healthiest choices.
Not just a rule, but a routine. Make sure healthy foods are
the default setting for your family’s meals, and get everyone involved in
choosing some nutritious, delicious options. Take kids with you to the grocery
store or farmers market. Younger kids can pick out fresh fruits and veggies.
Older kids can take on larger roles like choosing recipes and making a shopping
list.
Show kids what “eating right” looks like. Explain that they
should fill half their plate with fruits and veggies that have nutrients that
will help their bodies grow. The other half should be whole grains and lean
protein that gives them energy to run, dance, and play. When you’re cooking or
grocery shopping, show them different examples of these key food groups.
Avoid calling foods “good” or “bad.” Kids should learn that
all foods have a place in their diet. Label foods as “go,” “slow,” or “whoa.”
Kids can “green light” foods like whole grains and skim milk they should have
every day and “slow down” with less healthy foods like waffles. Foods with the
least nutrition, such as French fries, don’t need to be off limits, but kids
should stop and think twice before they eat them often.
Talk about portion size.
It’s not just what kids eat that matters, but how much. Even very young
kids can learn that the amount of rice or pasta they eat should match the size
of their fist. Protein should be palm-sized, and fats like butter or mayonnaise
about the tip of their thumb. When you buy packaged foods, have kids help you
find the serving size. Then talk about why sticking to it is a good idea.
Enjoy,
Ms. Nora Sierra
EC Assistant Principal
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