The kid, perhaps, himself is not averse to eating exceptionally correct food. And moms and dads spoil everything.
We all come from childhood. And many of our habits too. Natalia Koshkina, nutritionist and nutrition coach, author of .
The state of our future health, metabolism, the work of the brain and other organs depend on how we eat in our young years. If the child has the right eating habits, they will become the foundation of his future health. We, as parents, are responsible for building this foundation.
The main question that worries many parents is how much a child should eat. All children, if the right conditions are created, are prone to intuitive nutrition. This means that they hear their bodies and know exactly when they need food, and when they don’t. Some days they eat more, others less. Children’s bodies naturally regulate energy intake, so counting calories for healthy children is a waste of time and energy.
But we adults can easily spoil this amazing ability of children to self-regulate. This happens if we:
– we give too large portions;
– feed processed, not whole foods;
– we restrict in food;
– we put labels on certain products, calling them “bad”;
– we feed in a hurry, on the run;
– we allow distractions while eating (for example, watching cartoons).
In such conditions, the child is formed the wrong attitude to food, and his natural ability to eat in accordance with the needs of the body “breaks”.
To spoil a good habit initially is very simple. And the ways that many parents use, not wanting anything bad. Among the most important mistakes are:
– you offer a treat as a consolation if the child is upset about something, or as a reward if the child “deserves it”;
– introduce strict rules: what is allowed and what is not;
– forcing to eat when the child is not hungry, or to finish eating everything that is on the plate;
– trying to “bribe” the child (“buy ice cream if you eat salad”).
But, as they say, “the road to hell is lined with good intentions.” Such strategies not only do not bring the desired result, but also aggravate the situation. These mistakes of adults lead to the formation of a wrong attitude to food and the fact that the child stops hearing his body.
What can you do to help your child develop a healthy relationship with food and maintain an intuitive approach to nutrition? Nothing complicated here either. There are 9 basic ways your child can maintain a healthy relationship with food.
1. Offer a varied, whole / minimally processed food.
2. Give adequate portions.
3. Create an illusion of choice (for example, ask what kind of vegetables a child will eat today for dinner).
4. Let not eat up if the child is full.
5. Avoid strict rules in the diet and do not appeal to the weight of the child.
6. Do not buy or store unwanted products at home. No need to emphasize the harmfulness of these products, just make them inaccessible.
7. Have healthy food on hand and provide healthy snacks with you.
8. Involve your child in grocery shopping, menu planning, and cooking.
9. As often as possible, gather at the table with the whole family.
One of the main rules of a healthy diet for both adults and children is the presence of fruits and vegetables in the diet. But many children are reluctant to eat or refuse to eat them altogether. Broccoli? Fuuu. But there is a solution for every problem.
The child does not like the taste of vegetables
Decision: try different cooking methods. Offer your child raw and stewed vegetables, salads and smoothies, soups and stews. It may take 10 or even more attempts before the child accepts new food. Give him time. Take your time. Keep trying new options, sometimes reverting back to old ones.
The child says no to your requests to try a new food.
Decision: take your child with you to the store. The fact is that behind this “no” is often a desire to probe one’s own boundaries or a spirit of contradiction. Perhaps when the child feels important, he will immediately change the behavior. All you need is to create the illusion of choice: “There are three choices of vegetables for dinner. What will you choose? What will we buy? ” “We have tomatoes. How are we going to eat them? ” “Let’s pick vegetables for the salad. which do you want? Do you want cherry? Good. Can you help me wash them? “
The negative influence of peers
Decision: leave what happens in the circle of friends on their conscience. There are things you can control and things you cannot. You can control how your child eats at home. But what happens outside the walls of your home is out of your control. Focus on ensuring that your homemade meals are balanced and complete.
Parents do not eat vegetables
Decision: parents eat vegetables. Plant-based foods are the basis of a healthy diet and should be part of the daily diet of any family.
If the reason is that cooking vegetables takes a lot of time, then there is a ready-made solution. All you need is to set aside half an hour when you brought groceries from the store. After this, wash, peel, chop, and spread the vegetables in airtight containers. Now you can always quickly prepare a healthy meal or give them to the child with you to school. Involve the child in the process of preparing vegetables. The more they are involved, the more likely they are to try a new product.