Learning to Eat Well
• Limit the quantities of highly processed foods and sugary beverages (otherwise
known as “empty-calorie” foods) and help children understand reasonable
portion sizes. Under most circumstances, restricting the calorie intake of children
is not recommended. Children continue to grow and develop into their early
20s, so they can’t afford to shortchange nutrients. However, switching out the
empty-calorie foods with healthy options ensures growing kids get everything
they need—except the excess calories!
• Learn to listen to natural hunger and fullness cues, rather than focusing on
“cleaning plates.” Help children learn to pay attention to natural internal signals
to keep from overeating. If a child does not want to finish his or her meal now,
the plate can be wrapped and saved for when the child is hungry later. Promising
dessert as a reward is best avoided as well, as it encourages overeating and makes
less healthful foods seem special.
• Teach children the value of good nutrition. Parents, guardians, and teachers can
work with children toward an understanding that food is a fuel for health and
fitness rather than a comfort, friend, enemy, or boredom reliever. Reading books
to children that present nutrition in a fun and interesting manner is also a good
educational method.
• Engage children in the food preparation process. Gardening, picking berries,
apples, or other produce at farms, grocery shopping trips, or visiting the local
farmers market or fruit stand can spark an interest in healthful foods. Also
invite children to participate in menu planning, as well as cooking. Even very
small children can help stir cold or room temperature items, wash produce, or
pour ingredients. These simple experiential lessons will often go a long way to
promoting healthful eating habits.