Raising a Healthy Eater
Raising a well rounded and healthy eater starts from birth! Sound strange? I get that, but kids watch everything we do and from a young age they’re watching us eat all the time! Here are some simple tips for raising a healthy eater:
Start early. The best time to start healthy eating habits is when children are young. When kids first start exploring foods they’ll put almost anything in their mouths! This is the best time to introduce vegetables! We all know that toddlers oppose vegetables, but if we start at 6 months almost all toddlers will circle back to vegetables with persistence.
Make it fun. Eating healthy doesn't have to be boring. There are many ways to make healthy foods fun for children. Arrange foods into fun shapes and includes lots of vibrant colors on the plate. And although messy, get your little one involved in food preparation and plating the foods! Try these kids kitchen tools as a way to get them involved!
Embrace the mess. It’s really important for kids to explore foods through touch, texture, taste, smell, and visual cues. Avoid the urge to constantly wipe their face or hands, or clean their space. Constant cleaning can have negative effects on a child's behavior around food and believe it or not can lead to picky eating. We used this baby splat mat to make the after-meal cleanup easier!
Be a good role model. Children learn by watching the adults in their lives. Set a good example by eating healthy yourself, enjoying food, taking your time to explore your foods. Babies start watching around 3-4 months of age so modeling starts early!
Never pressure them to eat. If your child doesn't want to eat something, don't force them. Have you heard of “you provide, they decide”? I love this model! Just offer them healthy options and let them choose what they want to eat and how much of it they consume.
Be patient. It takes time for children to develop healthy eating habits. Be patient and don't give up. It can take 10-20 exposures over time before kids accept a new food.
With a little effort, you can help your child develop healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime!