Helping Kids Embrace Healthy Eating
Strategies for Making Healthy Eating Fun and Easy - Issue #133
“How do I get my kid to eat vegetables?”
As a nutrition coach, I hear this question often. As we have a 3 ½ year old at home, I understand the frustration - it's your responsibility to instil good nutrition habits, yet getting kids to embrace healthy foods can feel like an uphill battle. But what if I told you there's a different approach?
Instead of focusing on making your kids eat vegetables, I propose shifting the focus to helping them. It may seem like a subtle distinction, but it can make a world of difference in both your child's attitude toward food and your own. I've applied it at home to help my grandkid develop a positive relationship with food. She eats her vegetables (voluntarily), reaches for fruit (enthusiastically), and has a healthy relationship with food (dessert isn’t bad).
The key lies in recognising that no one likes to be told what to do—this holds true for kids as much as it does for adults.
This is a fundamental fact of human psychology, and it’s true of almost everyone, including kids. Whether age 3 or 93, humans respond in pretty similar ways when they’re ordered around.
They:
Stop listening.
Refuse to comply.
Lose their tempers.
They might even do the opposite of what they’ve been told. When children feel bossed around, they often become resistant, rebellious, or simply tune out.
Instead of dictating their choices, I encourage you to engage them in thoughtful conversation about their food decisions. By asking curious, reflective questions and genuinely considering their responses, you empower your children to make their own choices while guiding them toward healthier options.
Here are a few ground rules to get you started:
Rule #1: Practice What You Preach
Kids are keen observers and tend to emulate the behaviour they see in their parents. Model the eating behaviours you want them to adopt, such as eating slowly, enjoying vegetables, and stopping when satisfied rather than stuffed. Your actions speak louder than words, so ensure they align with the healthy habits you're trying to instil. When your actions don’t match your words, kids notice.
Rule #2: Share Responsibility - Do your part—and trust them to do theirs.
Use the Satter Institute’s Division of Responsibility in Feeding (sDOR) framework. This approach divides nutritional responsibilities between parents and children, giving you control over what foods come into the house while allowing kids have a choice over their eating decisions. Trust them to choose their meals and portions, while maintaining boundaries around mealtime behaviour.
What the parent does:
Shops for food
Prepares the food
Provides regular meals at set times
Makes eating times enjoyable
What the child does:
Decides whether to eat
Decides which of the available foods to eat
Decides how much to eat
This framework allows you to maintain control over what foods come into the house. If you don’t want them to eat ice cream—maybe because it’s a red light food for you—then no ice cream at home.
If your kids get ice cream elsewhere, say at a friend’s home, try to sort that into your “no biggie” box.
Why? According to the framework: You don’t control what they eat outside the home. They do.
Rule #3: Stay Neutral
Approach food conversations with genuine curiosity and without judgment. Avoid praising or criticising their food choices, and instead, focus on fostering a positive eating environment. Your neutrality creates a safe space for open dialogue and encourages your children to explore new foods without fear of judgment.
Neutral is not: “I’m going to ask you a question that only has one right answer: My answer.”
It’s also not celebrating your kids’ choices with comments like “Yay! You ate your Broccoli! Good job!” Nor is it lamenting their choices by saying things like, “You’re eating Bhujia for a snack?”
By implementing these rules and adopting a mindset of helping rather than making, you can empower your kids to develop lifelong healthy eating habits. Remember, it's not about forcing them to eat their vegetables but guiding them toward making informed choices that support their well-being.
Together, let's nourish our children's bodies and minds, one meal at a time.
In case you missed previous issue on Key to Health and Wealth is Simplicity, here are the key highlights:
Simplicity is always a winner. With “more” – its more complicated. It's a concept often overlooked in our fast-paced lives, yet its profound impact cannot be overstated.
In our pursuit of financial success, simplicity can be a game-changer.
Instead of chasing after every investment opportunity or succumbing to the allure of complex financial instruments, focus on the basics.
— Set clear financial goals
— Live within your means, and
— Prioritise long-term wealth-building over short-term gains.
Similarly, simplicity plays a vital role in achieving optimal health and well-being.
Instead of jumping from one fad diet to another or following complicated workout routines, prioritise simple, sustainable habits that promote overall wellness.
— Eat whole, nutritious foods
— Stay active in ways that bring you joy, and
— Prioritise rest and relaxation.
Key to Health and Wealth is Simplicity
Before you go!
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See you next on the twenty first Sunday of 2024. Take care!