Whether our kids are natural-born foodies, average eaters, or even finicky eaters, we as parents have the power to help shape positive food relationships.
My kids are just average eaters. One eats more fruit while the other eats more vegetables. And both picked the tomatoes out of a dish I made the other night. My kids are not particularly “adventurous eaters,” and yet they are willing to try most things on their plate and eat a wide range of food groups, textures, and colors. Yes, they enjoy snack foods, but they also truly love the nutritious, wholesome food we make at our house. More importantly, mealtimes are pleasurable and relaxed. I give the kids exactly what my husband and I want to eat, and I never make separate food for them. There’s no bribing or negotiating, and everyone is in charge of “what” and “how much” they will eat on their plate.
Seem like a dream? It’s not magic!
Maybe you were blessed with inherently adventurous eaters or natural-born foodies. But many of us have kids who are a little wary of new foods or would choose to eat only crackers and cookies for dinner if they had their choice. But we as parents can help them develop a healthy relationship with food and a palate that truly enjoys the taste of nutritious foods. And a “healthy relationship” doesn’t mean they only eat “healthy” foods. It means they can be flexible, feel relaxed around a variety of foods, and even go out of their comfort zone with new foods from time-to-time.
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How Can we?
One way we can help our children develop a healthy relationship with food is allowing them to assist with meal preparation. Research shows that allowing children to help in the kitchen is associated with a better-quality diet, increased food exploration, and better diet-related health outcomes. This is even an important part of my feeding therapy with kids who have multiple body-based or emotional layers that affect their eating.
For Example
My youngest child loves meal prep and especially enjoys our time in the mornings making celery juice together. His mechanical brain loves to navigate the buttons on the juicer and push the celery down, watching it get pulverized. He’s sure to have one stalk in hand, munching away, throughout the entire process. He loves to help in the kitchen, and this is one of the best ways to get him to explore new foods. Afterall, he is a classic “spirited child,” and you can’t coerce him to do anything he doesn’t want to do. Helping me with meal prep brings him a sense of ownership, curiosity, play, and exploration—all things I hope to remain as part of his lifelong relationship with food.
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We don’t always have the time or patience to have our kids help in the kitchen. Heck, sometimes it’s downright unsafe. But, ask yourself, “What is one way my child(ren) can get involved?” Using a blender to make pancakes? A hand chopper to chop some vegetables to top a pizza? A whisk to make scrambled eggs? Or maybe a simple mixing spoon or just their hands to help make a salad? Letting kids in on the action—even if for only 5 minutes—can help them explore more foods and even make mealtime more peaceful.
We as parents have the power to help our children develop a richer relationship with food —
beyond simply eating.
Resources:
Chu, Y.L., Farmer, A, Fung, C, Kuhle, S., Storey, K.E., & Veugelers, P.J. (2012). Involvement in home meal preparation is associated with food preference and self-efficacy among Canadian children. Public Health Nutrition, 16(1), 108-112.
Satter, E. (2007). Eating competence: Nutrition education with the Satter eating competence model. Journal of Nutrition Education & Behavior, 448, S189-S194.