As a mom to little kids and Nutritionist I really want my kids to not just eat, but to enjoy a wholesome nourishing diet. There are many tips and strategies to get kids eating healthy wholesome foods. Anything from hiding vegetables in their meals to serving food family style. While providing foods these ways can certainly help kids to eat a wholesome nourishing diet, there are several other methods I use to help my kids enjoy food that helps them to thrive.
Here are 5 strategies I use to feed my kids at dinnertime, because that’s usually the meal we share most often…
1. Let go of expectations – Yes that means I go into every meal with no expectation that my kids will eat what I made, enjoy what I made or any other expected thought in my head. Taking that pressure off of myself and my kids has made dinners much more peaceful. In saying this I always want to make sure my kids come to the table and see foods they want to eat and that dinner looks yummy. If everyone sees at least one food at the table they like I know we can all enjoy dinner together. This mentality is inspired by Ellyn Satter, a Dietician and child feeding expert. I’m a big fan of her concept “parent provides, child decides”. I also refrain from commenting on what my kids eat vs not eat. It’s their job to decide what food goes into their body, not mine. My job is to offer food. This mindset allows everyone to enjoy their meal on their own terms…and it works, seriously(especially for picky eating)!
2. We all eat the same meal(most of the time) – There are no such things as “kids meals” in my house with the very odd exception. My kids eat what mom and dad eat…99% of the time. The most successful way we do this in my house is to serve food family style. It’s amazing how serving food this way has given my kids the space and time to try new foods and become good little eaters. I serve meals this way for a few reasons…
- Spending extra time in the kitchen making multiple meals just doesn’t work for me. I already make enough dirty dishes 🙂
- I want my kids to learn to eat and appreciate all kinds of foods cooked in a variety of different ways and this won’t happen if I am always cooking chicken nuggets and buttered pasta(we eat these things too!).
- The larger variety of foods my children eat the wider array of nutrients they are getting into their body and providing the best possible nutrition for them. Good nutrition is the foundation for a healthy life!
- Serving family style takes the guesswork and pressure off of me to serve my kids the right amount of foods and food they will actually put into their mouths(this one helps big time to avoid any picky eating).
3. Offer options – I’ll be honest I don’t make Pinterest worthy meals. Much of the time I’m looking to offer a nourishing meal that will satisfy everyone’s hunger and doesn’t take too long to prepare. I have found that even if I’m serving a meal that isn’t a favourite or not yet liked by my kiddos, by simply providing options my kids enjoy mealtime . I focus on a variety of colour #eattherainbow and types of food, specifically the macronutrients – Protein + Fat + Fibre/Carbohydrates. My goal is to prepare meals that are nourishing and that can be enjoyed together as a family.
4. Get them involved – From meal planning, grocery shopping and even cooking right along with me, this is an easy way to get my kids involved with the food we eat. It doesn’t happen everyday, but weekly these things happen organically or I present an opportunity to my kids to get involved. My kids have been more likely to eat several foods for the first time because they were involved in one aspect of preparing it.
5. No pressure at the table. I avoid pressuring my kiddos to finish their food, clean their plate or take “one bite”(again I love eating family style to avoid this too). I sure wouldn’t like someone telling me to eat food if I didn’t want to. In fact this happened to me…when I was a kid there was a time I was forced to eat a food I didn’t like yet and I ended up running to the bathroom to spit it out. That moment has stuck with me to this day and it is a reminder that kids have a voice too when it comes to food choices. However I avoid the pressure for a very specific reason and that’s because pressure to eat overrides our innate ability to recognize our own hunger and fullness cues. Our hormones Ghrelin and Leptin are two hormones that signal to our body that we are hungry and then full. It’s a worthwhile skill to recognize these two sensations and teaching kids to listen to their own body is huge! At the end of a meal I sometimes ask my kids if their tummy feels full or happy. This allows my kids to take a minute to assess how they feel and say yes or no. This skill is just one aspect of developing a healthy relationship with food and it starts at home!
What are some ways you enjoy family meals?
Xx Megan
