Eating healthy can be tricky in our world. Some of the most common barriers I've seen my patients struggle with is lack of time, lack of knowledge, aaaaaand picky family members. Who wants to go to the effort to roast some Brussels sprouts if it’s only going to be met with a chorus of “EWs?”
Having been a dietitian for so long, I had a vision of how I hoped it would go when I had kids of my own. I knew that I did not want to be the frazzled short-order cook making nuggets for this kid, macaroni and cheese for that kid, while trying to fit in a healthy meal for myself. Who has time and energy for that?
It is a pretty big deal to shape a baby/toddler/young child into a “good eater”- not just for nutrition status and proper growth, but also from a social standpoint. How might a picky eater fare when they are given set snacks at preschool? Or elementary school lunch?
Here are a few strategies that I (and other dietitians) use when it comes to feeding children*:
1. Aim to consume a wide arrange of healthy foods during pregnancy. Exposing the fetus to broccoli, whole grains, and a range of spices and seasonings can give them a leg up on food tolerance as they grow. It’s not like the broccoli goes directly to the fetus of course, but baby will pick up on hints of these flavors.
2. Consider giving baby a variety of baby foods. It’s tempting to go for the peaches and the applesauces, but balancing these with the pureed chicken and vegetables or plain yogurt instead of sweetened again helps shape their tastes and tolerances. With both my boys I ended up doing a mix of homemade baby foods and store bought jars. No shame in that. MMM, pureed avocado and tofu!
3. Resist the temptation to serve fruit as a dessert. I used to give my toddlers their dinners, but then if they wouldn’t eat it, I’d give them the berries or applesauce that they preferred. What did this do? Teach them to neglect their proteins and veggies and grains for the sweet stuff! I learned that by putting all their food on their plate, it makes it a level playing field. As I started to do that, I noticed that yes- they’d go for some bits of fruit first, but then they would hop around their plate and sample bits of everything.
4. Try to serve the same meal to everyone in the family. That means if mom and dad get turkey meatballs, green beans, and brown rice- the kiddos should get that too- even if they think meatballs “look super DUPER yucky.” I hear that about once a week from my 3 year old. More than half the time though after he sees me, my husband, and my toddler eat, he’ll take a bite on his own. Trust me- it might not happen right away- but after your kid sees you eat your food, he or she will eventually follow suit. That doesn't mean that our kiddos are forced to eat spicy foods- I'll usually portion out their plate partway through the cooking process so it's the more kid-friendly version of what my husband and I eat.
5. No clean plate club! It is SO tempting to pull the old “finish your plate! There are starving kids in ____.” I get it- you spent time, money, and energy to prepare a meal and it’s super aggravating when a kid eats only a few bites and declares him or herself full. Our expectation at the table is that you don’t have to finish anything, but you do have to try it. If you are hungry later, your plate is waiting for you in the fridge. Again, this is one I learned the hard way. 3 year old says he’s full (umm, like 3 bites into his meal), and then 20 minutes later declares he’s hungry and needs a banana. YEAH NO. I have to remind myself that my three year old is NOT IN CHARGE OF ME.
6. Recruit kids to help with shopping lists and help with meal prep. I am SO hoping that once my boys leave the house they will be totally self sufficient in the kitchen. Little kids can observe cutting up vegetables, seasoning meat, grilling- at a safe distance of course. Here’s a good website that lays out what kitchen tasks are appropriate for each developmental age: http://www.eatright.org/
Helping me make some Instant Pot Greek yogurt.
Eating their ribs, broccoli, and cheesy potatoes.
Both boys finished their plates! Definitely not always the case.
Bonus if your kids can pitch in with the cleaning. We call it "playing sink." SUCKERS!
*A big disclaimer with the above is that often times kids on the autism spectrum will have legitimate texture/sensory issues. A tough love approach is not going to be effective for this situation.
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