Getting Kids Hooked on Healthy Eating

Getting Kids Hooked on Healthy Eating

By Milk-Dairy Farmers of Ontario

Most of us would wish for our children a healthy and fulfilling life. One of the ways to achieve this is through life-style choices. As a care provider you can influence a child's food choices by what you say and do.

Children mirror their environment

Positive encounters with food can help set the stage for sensible eating habits. Day care providers influence the development of children's tastes by the specific foods they make available, the degree to which healthy eating is encouraged and the relative importance of food in day care activities. Check off from the following list what you do to help broaden youngsters' food choices.

• You create a positive mealtime environment.
• You interact with children during mealtimes.
• You enjoy the same food the youngsters are served.
• You encourage and respond positively to unfamiliar foods.
• You encourage children to try new flavours and develop a taste for new foods through fun and interactive daily activities.

While parents may be considered the most important influence on a child's eating habits, day care providers are a close second. Congratulate yourself on the efforts you make to help kids develop an appreciation for many different foods.

Pointers to get kids excited about foods

Here are some pointers to follow to help ensure that the kids in your care have access to safe and healthy foods each day.

1. Aim for variety

   One of the most important aspects of healthy eating is enjoying a variety of foods each day. Variety in the diet not only allows for a more interesting and appealing diet, it can also help achieve optimal health.

   Try cooking foods which build in lots of flavour, texture, temperature variations and eye appeal. Offer lunch and snack menus that emphasize the diversity of fresh, home-grown, local and seasonal foods. Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating can help you to do this.

2. Role modelling

   Treat yourself and your preschoolers to new taste experiences. If you are unfamiliar with cooking or you want to add more diversity to your own diet, but don't know how, gather a few friends or family members together and experiment. It could be as simple as substituting an ingredient to give the recipe a different spin. Try to plan one new taste experience each month.

   Discuss with kids the origin of a food, how it is made, how it is eaten and any unique characteristics. Remember, if you are excited about healthy eating, your preschooler will be too!

3. Cook with kids

   Foods served at the table form the foundation for "food memories" children will carry with them all life long. You can play an active role in forming positive feelings about food by cooking with youngsters.

   It is important that kids learn the skills required to prepare foods properly and experience success. That way they are more likely to take an interest in food preparation in adulthood.

In summary, be mindful of the values you demonstrate through your reactions to unfamiliar foods, the choices you serve youngsters at mealtime and snack time and what you eat yourself. Choose positive words to describe foods. Let your excitement about healthy foods have a positive impact on the present health and future well being of the youngsters you care for.

For Your Interest (FYI)

While adults are the best judges of what kids should eat and when, children are the best judges of how much they should eat, if at all. Here are some helpful hints:

• Enjoy the pleasure of food - allow children to experience food through all their senses.
• Buy only foods you want the child to eat.
• Don't worry if a child skips a meal.
• Be a good role model. Let kids make their own food choices from the good choices you provide and eat yourself.

Remember healthy eating is the sum of all our food choices made over time. It is not one food, one meal or even one day's intake that matters.

This article was reprinted with the permission of the Dairy Farmers Of Ontario - MILK