Creating Healthy Eating Habits

Hello parents, Many parents ask me how to establish healthy eating habits in preschool-aged children. For instance, parents may get frustrated when their child resists eating a particular food or has as a tantrum if they are not allowed to eat junk food before dinner. Good eating habits are crucial not only for physical growth but also for emotional development It’s important that caregivers respond to children in a way that supports good eating habits and reduces unnecessary anxiety. To do so it is important to empower children, as often they express their independence through their refusal to eat certain foods. In giving power to children to make healthy decisions, parents can: empower healthy choices, use encouragement over coercion, manage mealtime behaviours with positivity, build a mealtime routine, and enhance mealtime opportunities for connection. Here are some helpful tips and strategies for each of these key areas:

Empowering Healthy Choices 

1. Empower with Choices: Offering choices helps children feel in control and therefore more cooperative. Simple options like, “Would you like milk or water?” or “Do you prefer an apple or a pear?” can make mealtime decisions easier and more enjoyable.

2. Clear Boundaries: When there are no choices, it’s important to be clear and consistent. Statements like, “It’s time for dinner,” or “No snacks later if you don’t eat now,” help set expectations and teach consequences.

3. Variety and Balance: Introduce a variety of foods to ensure a balanced diet that includes plenty of water, fresh fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates (e.g. wholegrain bread), dairy products (e.g. yoghurt, milk, and cheese), and proteins. This not only nourishes them but also exposes them to different tastes and textures.

Encouragement Over Coercion 

4. Encourage, Don’t Force: Children usually know how much they need to eat. Encourage eating by making positive associations and providing praise, such as, “You’re eating so well, you’ll have lots of energy for swimming later!” Avoid forcing them to eat, which can create negative experiences and ongoing resistance. 5. Persistence with Vegetables: Keep serving vegetables as a normal part of meals. It’s the persistence and routine that eventually helps children accept them as a regular part of their diet.

6. Avoid Rewarding Tantrums: It’s crucial not to give in to tantrums, especially when they’re about avoiding healthy foods or demanding sweets. Giving in reinforces that tantrums are a way to get what they want.

Managing Mealtime Behaviours 

7. Pick Your Battles: Understand that making a mess while eating is age-appropriate behaviour for preschoolers. Focus on teaching them not to throw food intentionally without turning it into a major conflict. If mess happens, involve them in the cleanup to teach responsibility in a supportive way.

8. Family Meals: Encourage eating the same meals as a family rather than preparing different dishes for each child. Eating together at the table is also a perfect time to connect and talk about the day, away from distractions like the TV.

9. Involvement in Food Preparation: Engaging children in gardening, picking vegetables, or helping in the kitchen makes them more interested in eating what they’ve helped to prepare. It’s an excellent way to teach them about food and cooking.

Building Routine and Manners 

10. Regular Routines: Establish regular meal and snack times to create a predictable schedule. This helps manage hunger and reduces fussiness associated with irregular eating times.

11. Eating Out: Set realistic expectations for eating out. Understand that small children might struggle with long meals at restaurants, so choose child-friendly places where quick service and a relaxed atmosphere help everyone enjoy the outing.

12. Table Manners: Teach good table manners consistently. Practices like using utensils properly, sitting still, and polite conversation are important skills that need to be nurtured from a young age.

Enhancing Mealtime Conversations 

13. Social Eating: Make mealtimes a social event where the family can gather not just to eat, but also to share their day and express gratitude. Start conversations with positive notes like, “What was the best part of your day?” This promotes not only good eating habits but also strong family bonds.

14. Conversation Starters: Introduce conversation starters to spark interesting discussions at the table. These can be simple questions that encourage children to think and express themselves, further enriching family time (these can be easy topics, for instance, telling jokes, or asking silly questions like whether they would like to live in a really cold place or a really hot place).

Support and Community 

It’s okay to seek support. Establishing healthy eating habits can be challenging, and finding a community or resources that support healthy parenting strategies can be invaluable. The Better Parent Academy offers courses like "Small Changes, Big Impact" that can provide further guidance. Additionally, my book, Parenting in the Early Years, is filled with advice for tackling common parenting challenges.

 Final Thoughts 

Remember, the effort you put into establishing good eating habits now will benefit your child for a lifetime. You’ve got this! I wish you joy in your parenting journey!