PhillyFIT Magazine

EatingFIT
Happy Families through
Healthy Eating
By Krista Yoder Latortue, MPH, RD, LDN
Mealtimes
Children and families eat frequently throughout the day, so if
eating is a stressful routine for your family, it can impact your
entire life. It is important to create positive mealtimes as part of
your family routine. This can be challenging when your child is
a picky eater. The good news is you can increase the variety
and amounts your child eats by making simple changes in your
family’s mealtime routine.
Set Realistic Expectations
Did you know it can take a child 10–20 times of being exposed
to a new food before he or she will actually taste it That
means you can introduce the same food every day for two to
three weeks before your child will actually be willing to try it!
Don’t be discouraged. Put your mind at ease by remembering it
is normal for children to not try a new food the first, second, or
third time you offer it to them. Don’t give up if your child
refuses a new food the first time. Try, try again!
A child’s usual food intake varies from day to day based on the
hunger/fullness patterns in your child. Children tend to eat a lot
when they are very hungry, to the point of getting very full.
They will not eat much again until they are hungry. Thus an
average week may consist of a few days of increased food
intake and a few days of decreased food intake. Remember this
is normal.
Your child is a very small version of you. Therefore, your child
can only be expected to eat a tinier version of what you eat.
Children should not be given adult size portions. A good rule of
thumb for a healthy serving is one tablespoon per year of age.
For example, if your child is two years old, offer two tablespoons
of oatmeal rather than an entire bowl.
Mealtime Environment and Structure
Your role as a parent during mealtime is to provide your child
with food and a positive eating environment. It is up to your
son or daughter to determine how much he or she eats. In fact,
it is even okay for your child to refuse an entire meal as long as
you offered food and gave him or her the opportunity to eat.
When you’re at home, offer all meals and snacks in only one
location, like the kitchen table. By only offering food in one
location, the child learns he or she must sit to receive food.
Children are easily distracted. Requiring your child to sit to eat
helps minimize distractions, allows him or her to focus on the
food and take the time to eat. Remember, it is acceptable to
require your child to sit for meals, but do not force him or her to
eat the food.
Make Mealtime Family Time
Children enjoy social interaction and often try to act out what
they observe. Therefore, it is important to offer your son or
daughter the same foods the rest of the family is eating. Your
child will be more willing to eat if he or she sees you eating the
same thing.
Involve your son or daughter in preparing the food. He or she
will feel like they are partly in control of what they are eating.
Involving your child will also encourage him or her to experience
new foods through touch, smell, and sight before attempting
to eat them.
22 I PhillyFIT
November/December I 215-396-0268 I www.phillyfit.com