Creating a positive food environment for kids
Set a routine of three meals, avoid labels and negative diet talk
For many parents, creating a healthy relationship with food for their children is a constant challenge, especially in our diet obsessed culture. Trusting your child’s natural hunger and fullness cues and creating a positive home environment is the key to success. Here are my top 5 strategies for fostering a healthy relationship with food:
1. Provide structure, not restriction
Establish a regular routine of 3 meals and 2-3 snack times and set a clear division of responsibility. As a parent you are responsible for setting the regular eating times and deciding what foods are available at those times. There should be enough eating periods throughout the day that only water needs to be offered between meal and snacks. Children are responsible for deciding whether or not to eat the foods provided, and how much to eat. Continual re-exposure to new foods (think broccoli, green peas, asparagus), without forcing consumption is an encouraging approach to expand your child’s palette.
2. Food is not a reward or a punishment
Food nourishes our bodies and helps us grow. Responding to behaviour with providing or restricting foods sets children up for a negative relationship with food. For example, only allowing dessert when all vegetables are eaten. In this instance a child may feel obligated to eat vegetables in order to get dessert or maintain good behaviour, especially for children with perfectionistic tendencies. In turn, this can create negative feelings around food and children may be less likely to enjoy mealtimes or listen to internal hunger and fullness cues. Instead, provide children a balanced plate, when they have stopped eating the meal, offer dessert for all members, as per your family’s usual routine. No matter how much or little a child has eaten, everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy dessert.
3. Avoid labelling foods as good or bad
There are no inherently good or bad foods. Period. All foods provide our bodies with some sort of a nutrition and have a place in a balanced diet. Teach children that there are foods we enjoy more often, that provide a lot of vitamins, minerals and energy (grains, dairy, meats, fruits, vegetables). And there are some foods we enjoy less often that also give us energy and nutrients (cookies, chips and soda). Allow treats in moderation (1 to 2 times a week) and do not restrict quantities when they are provided. To create balance, consider offering nutritious options with treats, such as vegetable sticks with pizza.
4. Teach self regulation and sharing when there’s just too much candy
Use times of year, like Halloween, when children may receive more treats than they can manage, as an opportunity to teach self-regulation and share. The day of the holiday allow kids to enjoy as much as they like. This reinforces the idea that all foods fit in a balanced lifestyle — remember children will intuitively stop eating when full. After the holiday, parents may be in charge of offering one or two treats after meals or at snack times for younger children. Ask older children to divide treats into ‘must have’ and ‘can live without’ piles. The ‘can live without’ pile can be donated or saved for baking/ sharing with others. ‘Must have’ treats can be integrated into your regular meal routine. Parents create the rules of when candy can be enjoyed, for example, after dinner or as a snack 1-2 times per week. Allow children to manage the amount of candy consumed at these designated times, as per the division of responsibility.
5. Be a role model
Children pick up on attitudes of others quickly and are likely to adopt an older sibling or parent’s negative attitude toward food. At meal times, strive to have all family members eating the same foods, and avoid negative food talk or diet talk in your home. When other adults and friends come to visit if you hear negative food talk or diet talk gently explain to them that you are an ‘all foods fit’ family. A home free from these messages, supports a strong foundation for a positive and healthy attitude toward food, and resilience from diet culture outside of the home.
Nicole Pin is a registered dietitian in Burlington whose practice embraces the principles of mindful and intuitive eating to achieve sustainable lifestyle change with clients. For more information visit www.enjoyyourfoodrd.com. Have questions? Nicole has answers! Submit your questions about food, nutrition or cooking to Nicole at enjoyyourfood.rd@gmail.com. Special to The Hamilton Spectator