Feature Articles: Food, Fitness and Children
Making Mealtime Pleasant with Young Children
Melinda Hemmelgarn, M.S., R.D., Former
Nutritional Sciences Specialist,
College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of
Missouri-Columbia
Gathering around the table to share food and conversation is
important for children. It provides them nourishment, and
comforting routine. The dining table is a place to learn
manners, share dreams, and explore new flavors. Parents and
caregivers who provide nutritious, healthy meals in a relaxed
setting, give children a solid foundation. It is not important
that children finish their peas. It is more important to avoid
power struggles at the table, and understand that eating is one
of the few areas where young children feel they have control.
Promote cooperation and harmony at the dinner table. Remember
the more we work with our children-not against them-the better
they will eat and the more peaceful mealtimes will be for
everyone. Following are answers to some of the most common
questions asked by parents and caregivers of young children.
1. One day my son is constantly hungry. The next he may hardly touch his food. Then he may only want to eat cereal for several days. Should I be concerned?
Children’s appetites tend to vary from day to day. Children
typically need a series of small meals throughout the day since
their small stomachs fill and empty quickly. Give children
credit that they will eat when they are hungry and allow them
the freedom to stop when they are full. Often, appetite reflects
periods of physical growth. It’s common for children to get onto
“ food jags” and want the same thing to eat meal after meal. The
important thing to do is learn your child’s individual needs and
preferences and not overreact when he won’t eat or wants
Cheerios three meals in a row. Eventually, the jag will pass.
Monitor the child’s growth and health; if you have concerns,
contact a pediatrician.
2. My children only seem to want to eat peanut butter sandwiches and macaroni and cheese. They turn up their noses at anything new. How can I get them to try new foods?
Try offering new foods when children are hungry. A little
theatrics never hurts either: “oh, this food is so delicious,
want to try some?” Reactions from family members and peers will
influence a child’s acceptance. Have a rule at the table: no
loud objections! If you don’t like the way something tastes,
leave it on your plate, but don’t make others feel uncomfortable
if they enjoy the food. It may take more than 7 exposures to new
foods before a child will accept them, so don’t give up. If new
foods are served often, they become more familiar and children
will be more likely to try them. Encourage-but do not
insist-that children try new foods. Involving children in food
preparation will also help ensure that they will taste and even
enjoy the foods they help prepare.
3. My father made me clean my plate as I was growing up. Should I insist that my children do the same?
Never force a child to eat, nor withhold food as punishment.
Serve children small portions of nourishing food, then trust
them to decide when the have had enough to eat. Forcing children
to eat, or encouraging them to eat “just one more bite”
interferes with their ability to regulate how much they eat.
Insisting that children clean their plates can lead to obesity
and will set up a power struggle.
4. The only way I can get my daughter to eat vegetables is to bribe her with dessert. Is this okay?
Health professionals advise against using dessert as a reward.
For one, it places the dessert on a pedestal, making it seem
even more desirable. Second, your child will end up overeating
twice: once to finish her food, in this case vegetables, and
again when she eats the dessert. Using desserts as punishments
or rewards can also set up an unhealthy emotional relationship
that may lead to development of eating problems later on. Offer
a variety of vegetables to give your child some choice, and ask
her to help prepare and serve them. Another option is to serve
desert along with your child’s meal. You’ll be surprised: your
child will eat some of each. Making nutritious desserts for the
family is also key. Bread or rice pudding, banana splits, and
fresh or canned fruits with yogurt or a small amount of ice
cream are nutritious and delicious!
5. My children want all the junk food they see advertised on television. I know it’s not healthy. What should I do?
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents and daycare
providers to limit television viewing for this very reason.
Research consistently shows that children ask for foods they see
advertised on television. The ads are clever and enticing to
youth. The AAP recommends that children watch no more than 2
hours of television or videos per day. Watch television with
children and point out that the foods advertised are not good
for their bodies. If you can’t watch with them, make sure the
video or program you select is free of commercials. Next, avoid
buying “junk foods” when you go to the store. What you don’t
buy, won’t be eaten. Candy, cookies, donuts, cakes, soft drinks,
highly sugared cereals, juice drinks, chips and fast food kids’
meals are okay now and then, but they don’t contribute to our
children’s good health and should not be part of a child’s daily
diet.
6. My toddler likes to play with her food instead of eating at the table and then complains later on of being hungry. What should I do?
Not all children eat “on schedule.” If a child doesn’t seem
hungry, remove their plate and allow them to draw pictures or do
a quiet activity at the table while the rest of the family
shares their meal. If she gets hungry later, you can offer a
healthy snack or leftovers.
7. My children are so picky about what they will eat. What can I do?
The key to solving the picky-eater syndrome is to involve your
children in meal planning, shopping, preparing and serving
meals. In the spring, give your children a small section of the
garden to plant their own seeds. Children will be more willing
to eat those foods they have helped to grow and prepare. Serve
children a variety of foods with different textures, flavors and
aromas. Savor and enjoy foods together. Talk about different
foods on your plate and how they each help to make us grow and
stay healthy. You might even try giving foods fun names or
reading a book about a special food before eating it. Pea soup
can become “mouse” soup; meatloaf can become “Superman’s
favorite.” If your child refuses to eat a planned meal, then
offer an easy- to- make snack--a glass of milk and a peanut
butter sandwich, for example. But don’t get into the habit of
being a short-order cook by making a different meal for each
child or member of the family.
8. I worry about pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables. Is it safe to give my children these foods? Should I buy "organic" produce?
Organic foods are those that are grown without pesticides and
herbicides. However, they can be expensive, and not everyone can
afford them. The most important thing you can do is wash all
fruits and vegetables thoroughly with plain water and a scrub
brush. Detergent and special produce washes are not necessary.
Purchase as much locally grown produce as possible. Remember
variety and moderation too. By eating moderate amounts of a
variety of fruits and vegetables, the chances of getting too
much of one residue will be lessened.
9. Is sugar bad for children? What about sugar substitutes?
Sugar has a bad reputation. Yet we are all born with a liking
for sweet taste. In moderation, sugar can make foods taste
better. But in excess, sugar contributes calories, but no
important nutrients. It can also cause tooth decay. However,
sugar has never been proven to cause or worsen hyperactivity.
It’s important not to make sugar (or any food) the “forbidden
fruit.” Think of sugar the way Mary Poppins did--a spoonful
helps the medicine go down. In other words, syrup on a pancake,
helps the pancake go down. Chocolate syrup in milk, helps the
milk go down. As a rule of thumb, look for breakfast cereals
with no more than 8 grams of sugar per serving. Sugar
substitutes are only recommended for children who can not
metabolize sugar (diabetics).
10. Are food additives harmful?
When people think of food additives, visions of harmful
chemicals pop into mind. But additives like preservatives,
colors, and flavors actually make up a very small percentage of
our daily diet. Food additives will not cause hyperactivity, or
harm to your children. In fact, preservatives help prevent
spoilage, such as the growth of mold, which can be harmful to
our health.
11. Do overweight children need a special diet?
Our weight-conscious society can be an unhealthy place for
children. Children who are placed on restrictive diets lose
self-esteem. They believe we are not happy with them the way
they are. If we restrict food, we can also stunt growth and
development. If a child suddenly puts on extra weight, talk with
a pediatrician and dietitian to make sure there is no underlying
health problems. If a child’s weight gain is the result of
family stress--divorce, death, abuse, etc. then seek the help of
a professional counselor. Weight gain in adults and children is
most often caused by a combination of inadequate physical
activity and an unhealthy diet. Limit television, video and
movie watching. Encourage physical play, and limit fast foods,
soft drinks, chips and snack cakes. These foods aren’t healthy
for anyone in the family. Explain to children that people come
in all shapes, sizes and colors, and that’ s okay. It’s what
makes us unique and special. Most important, set a good example.
Our children look up to us; don’t let them down.
12. Are certain foods unsafe for children?
Yes! Choking is a safety concern especially for children up to
the age of four because they are still developing the ability to
chew and swallow. Older children have larger windpipes and
better cough reflexes. Foods which pose the greatest hazard
include: hot dogs, grapes, peanut butter, coin-sliced
vegetables, popcorn, nuts, candy and other small, hard foods
that can get lodged into a child’s windpipe. Never leave
children alone when they are eating. Make sure they are sitting
upright, and that they chew and swallow the food in their mouths
before speaking or laughing. Learn the signs of choking:
ineffective coughing, inability to speak or cry, high-pitched
noises, and bluish lips, nails and skin. Talk to your
pediatrician about ways to relieve choking.
Last update: Wednesday, August 20, 2008
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