Promote happy, healthy eating with children by supporting positive, relaxed and social mealtimes

Mealtimes provide an ideal time for children to develop healthy eating habits, social skills and language. Allowing children time to taste and enjoy their food, to make choices and to interact with others helps to create pleasant mealtimes, relaxed experiences and an opportunity for adults to role model healthy eating habits.

Why support positive meals and snacks?

Positive meal and snack times promote:

• Social Connection: Meal and snack times are a chance to connect and build relationships. Engaging children in pleasant conservation helps create relaxed mealtimes and stronger relationships.

• Learning: Meal and snack time are a chance to role model and help children learn. Children can practice language and social skills and learn about food and eating.

• Health: Meal and snack times are a chance to help children build healthy habits. The eating habits you teach children in the early years can form a pattern that lasts a lifetime.

The mealtime environment impacts the willingness of children to enjoy the meal, try new foods and develop healthy eating behaviours. Here are some practical tips to support positive mealtimes:

• Eat at the same time, every day: Schedule snacks, meals and water breaks to take place at the same time each day. Try to stick to this schedule even on outings. While you might schedule water breaks, remember that water should be available at all times.

• Develop mealtime routines and ensure consistency: Follow the same process of preparing for snacks and meals each day. This might involve hand washing, setting a table, sitting and eating for a set period of time, and then clearing the table.

• Eat with children: Eating with children allows for adults to model healthy eating habits. Children learn their eating habits from adults.

• Focus on food when eating: Avoid watching TV during meal or snack times. Instead, sit with children and discuss their meals. Mealtime conversation is an important time when caregivers can teach children about healthy food and beverage choices. Mealtime can be a pleasant time for interaction and conversation.

• Schedule lunch for after playtime: Some children will eat faster than others. Avoid planning a popular activity for right after lunch or snack as it may encourage some children to rush through eating. Encourage children to remain at the table and chat with adults and other children.

• Practice a neutral approach: Food is one of the great pleasures in life. Offer opportunities for children to taste without pressure: allow children a chance to taste, without pressure to have “just one bite.” Let each child decide if he/she will taste a food or not. If we label foods, we may set the stage for unintended negative consequences. Avoid using food as a reward. Practice a neutral approach and exposure to food, rather than identifying foods as “good”, “bad” or “junk.”

As a parent or caregiver, you can be a positive role model. By practising healthy eating habits, you can help create a positive relationship with food and the foods children will eat.

For more information about Supporting Positive Mealtimes, visit:

AHS — Support Positive Mealtimes — Early Learning & Child Care, Healthy Eating Starts Here https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/nutrition/Page17264. aspx

Raising Our Healthy Kids www.raisingourhealthykids.com/

Health Canada — Healthy Eating for Parents and Children: https://foodguide.canada.ca/en/tips-for-healthyeating/parents-and-children/

Heather Mathur is a Registered Dietitian with Alberta Health Services, Population and Public Health, Nutrition Services, and can be reached by e-mail: heather.mathur@albertahealthservices.ca