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No More Food Fights Getting kids to eat a healthy meal doesn’t have to be a battle of good versus evil 
If you’re a new parent, no doubt you’ve resolved to start your child on a life of good nutrition. Your goals may include fostering a curiosity about new foods and providing healthy snacks and well-balanced meals. Unfortunately, life can get in the way. Maybe your idea of vegetables is broccoli, not the fries your child demands. Or maybe you’re giving in to your own cravings and forgetting to set an example. Or maybe you’re using fast food as a bribe so you can spend a little more time shopping. Slip-ups happen. “Healthy eating is a lifelong process and doesn’t happen overnight,” says Jennifer Shu, pediatrician and co-author with Laura A. Lana of “Food Fights” a new book from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Elk Grove Village, Ill. Don’t beat yourself up over the occasional lapse, Shu says. Instead, develop strategies to avoid battling over food choices and to assure your child is eating some nutritious foods. Here are some steps Dr. Shu recommends: • Avoid fighting over food Be sensitive to the fact that a child may refuse to eat a specific food as a way of rebelling. It’s a step toward independence. • Use the “no thank you bite” as an approach Give your child a small portion of some food he’s decided he won’t like. Tell him to take one bite. After that he’s free to say “no more, thank you.” Children have to be exposed to new foods multiple times before they accept them, Shu says. Also, realize that not liking Brussels sprouts won’t jeopardize your child’s health or chances for college. “No matter how many times you give ‘no thank you bites,’ there are some foods your child will never like, and that’s OK. There are some foods adults don’t like either. As long as there are more nutritious foods that a child likes than those he doesn’t, it’s a success,” Shu says. • Don’t use food to placate a child Giving your child food is a common, though inappropriate way to keep your child occupied while you’re busy. “Feeding children is a good way to keep them quiet: Their mouths are full,” says Shu, who recommends packing special toys or books to keep children occupied instead. • Food isn’t a reward Make your gesture something other than food when you’re rewarding your child.“Give a hug; that’s plenty,” she says. • Be a good role model “If you don’t want your child to eat it, don’t have it in the house,” Shu says. She also suggests moderation can be more effective than deprivation. For example, you may choose to eat out with your children once a month, or have ice cream as an occasional dessert. Here’s a drink that’s delicious and packed with wholesome ingredients: Berry Smoothie 1 cup frozen unsweetened blueberries 3/4 cup grape juice 3/4 cup frozen fat-free vanilla yogurt Combine berries, juice and frozen yogurt in blender. Blend at high speed until thick and frothy. If the drink is too thick for your child, add a couple tablespoons low-fat milk and blend again. Makes 2 servings. Each serving has: 175 calories; 1.5 grams total fat; 3 grams protein; 30 grams carbohydrates; 4 milligrams cholesterol; 25 milligrams sodium and 2 grams dietary fiber. |
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Copyright © 2007 Cecil Whig. All Rights Reserved.