The Table Battle

All of us as parents and caregivers can probably relate to the saga between kids and food. Do your kids just do the “once over” and not seem to eat enough of anything on their plate? Or maybe they only rotate between three items (that start with the letter “C”) and it becomes an epic battle getting them to try something new. Naturally, we are also concerned about the proliferation of edibles packed with hidden sugar (ketchup, really?), and we want to carefully monitor the amounts of sweets our kids eat each day. Kids, on the other hand, will pick gummies, bananas and apple slices over carrots, spinach and green beans more times than not.

The Good News:

The longer kids build habits of eating well, and the more they see you model good eating habits (sorry grown-ups, kids are watching you!) the more likely they are to stick to these routines as they grow and mature. A foundation of a healthy diet in their early years provides a springboard of knowledge when, for example, they are teenagers with more control over what they eat each day. And because it’s the overall diet and pattern of eating that influence a person’s health and well-being in the long run, this is a worthy goal to strive for.

Whole Diet Approach:

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends taking a “Whole Diet Approach” to nutrition with children. This broad view translates into a small sampling from a large group of foods (barring any allergies, of course) within the main five food groups: Veggies, Fruits, low-fat Dairy (after two years of age), Grains, and Proteins. The variety is endless, and it may surprise you what your child likes if you introduce them to the adventure of trying new foods. Little tricks, like getting them to try the food right after being seated at the table, or serving it up in a fun dish like an appetizer plate or a sushi platter might make things more adventurous.

Should I provide options?

There are two schools of thought with providing kids a substitution at the table: Do It! and Don’t Do It! Of course, this decision will differ for each family as they figure out what works best for them.There are upsides to providing choices: it allows your child to feel more in control of their world and reduces the head-to-head battle, or worse, kids going to bed hungry. It allows them to move in and out of the stages they go through as they develop their tastes and preferences with minimal stress. Also, if they have only two options (whole wheat toast if they don’t want the whole wheat pasta), it teaches them the food groups and helps them to gauge portion sizes.Likewise, there are upsides to removing the there-is-always-this-instead-of-that choice: kids learn that they can be comfortable (and sometimes brave!) facing down new or not-so-favorite foods. They gain appreciation for the consistency of mealtimes and the work that goes into them. They also learn to look forward to the meals that are their favorites, just like we as adults do. After all, we don’t eat our favorite meal every night, either.

The Bottom Line:

Lay the foundation for a lifetime of good eating habits. Model good eating yourself, provide a variety of familiar and new foods, be patient, be understanding and most of all: keep it positive!Leanne Powell, 2017