Young children don*t always eat the way parents think they
should. But, toddlers and preschoolers are very capable of eating what they
need, as long as parents do their job. It is the parent*s job to offer
nutritious foods at regularly scheduled times. It is up to the child to decide
whether to eat and how much to eat.
Happy experiences with food and eating situations can encourage
your child to make healthful food choices. Here are some ideas to help parents
develop healthy eating habits in their children.
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Schedule regular times for meals and snacks. This way your
child will know when to expect food and will come to the table hungry and
ready to eat.
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Mealtime is often the only time during the day when the
whole family is together. Value the time spent together while eating.
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Make expectations for mealtime behavior clear. Your child
needs to know what you will and won*t tolerate.
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Keep mealtime calm and relaxed. Avoid feeding children when
they are tired or excited.
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Turn off the television at mealtime. Mealtime TV is a
distraction that ruins family interaction and interferes with children's
eating.
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Use child-size utensils. Small hands may do better with
utensils, dishes and furniture that fit.
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Serve small amounts of food your child can easily handle.
Let your child ask for a second helping if he or she wants more.
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Serve bite-size pieces to make chewing and swallowing
easier.
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Introduce new foods, but continue to offer foods your child
likes. Don't pressure your child to eat new foods. Let him or her decide
whether to accept it.
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Don't prepare special foods for "picky" eaters. Have bread,
rolls and fruit available at each meal so there are foods your child likes.
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Allow plenty of time for eating. But after a certain amount
of time, remove any uneaten food without a fuss.
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Set a good example. Toddlers and preschoolers are great
imitators of parents, brothers and sisters.
