Kids are growing all the time, so it’s essential to ensure they get the fuel they need. By teaching them to embrace healthy food, you can help set good habits that can last a lifetime.
WHY ARE KIDS SO FUSSY?
It can be frustrating when you’ve got a picky eater who refuses to eat anything except chicken nuggets, but health expert and obesity researcher Dr Nick Fuller says this kind of behaviour is very normal.
“All kids go through a fussy eating stage, and they’re going to push back at times,” he explains. “It’s their way of asserting authority over the little control they have in their life.
“What they want to do is stick to a safe food environment, and this is why they typically tend to seek out those white and beige foods.”
At the same time, Dr Fuller advises that it’s important to keep encouraging them to try new things.
“We give in to those [safe] foods when they refuse to eat the meal we’ve cooked them,” he says. “Then over time, their diet narrows because they’re in control. So we have to push back on that.”
EMBRACE FAMILY MEALTIMES
Dr Fuller says eating together as a family is the perfect opportunity to help create healthy habits. This is also an area where grandparents can play a valuable role.
Get little ones involved in each step of the process, from recipe planning to food preparation and serving the table. Present them with the same meal that everyone else is eating and offer a variety of dishes through the week.
This helps to create opportunities to try new foods, along with the safety of serving up family favourites.
“If kids see you eating the meal, we know that over time, they’re more likely to try that meal and enjoy it as well,” says Dr Fuller.
LEARNING TO LOVE VEGGIES
It’s also important to remember kids’ taste-buds are evolving and they aren’t always trying to be difficult when they reject vegies like broccoli and cauliflower, which they may find bitter.
“They’re more likely to go for the sweet foods like fruit, and even vegetables that are sweeter tasting such as pumpkin and carrots – particularly when you roast them and the natural sweetness comes out,” says Dr Fuller.
Kids will often accept a wider range of vegetables as they get older, but until then he suggests hiding those “bitter” types they don’t like in recipes like pizzas or casseroles.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Dr Fuller explains that the main thing is to offer a variety of meals that includes a lean protein source, a wholegrain carbohydrate, some healthy fat and plenty of vegies or salad.
Over the last few years, there have been a host of food fads that have created mixed messages, but Dr Fuller says it’s important not to restrict nutritious foods like fruit or dairy.
“You can give your child any amount of fruit – they are naturally occurring sugars. They’re not foods we should be restricting,” he advises.
“Dairy is another good example. We’ve been made to believe that dairy is fattening and it causes our weight to increase. If we restrict our child’s dairy intake or put them on milk alternatives like almond milk, this is the wrong way to approach it.”
Diets are a definite no, and Dr Fuller also recommends avoiding language that stigmatises body weight.
“We need to be talking about our weight in a positive light,” he explains. “If we are talking about it negatively, kids are going to pick up on that and are more likely to have body image concerns.”
MAKE FOOD FUN
Try getting inventive with new cooking and presentation methods to make food more appealing.
Kids might be more likely to try vegies that are cut into chips, or fruit that’s cut into pieces or frozen. “It’s about presenting food in a fun and varied way, and in a way that they’re more likely to enjoy,” explains Dr Fuller. “The same goes for the utensils and plates that we’re using.”
As kids get older, accept that you won’t be able to control everything that they eat. This is especially the case in social situations like birthday parties and outings with friends. However, by trying to implement healthy food habits at home, you’ll pave the way for them to keep making those choices as they move through life.
“When they go to their friend’s house or when they go out to the movies, depending on their age, let them have fun,” says Dr Fuller. “Let them choose the foods they want. If you’re shaping their lifelong food choices towards wholesome natural treats they’re not going to binge on those ultra-processed foods.
HEALTHY HABITS FOR LIFE
In his book Healthy Parents, Healthy Kids, Dr Nick Fuller shares the following six principles for parents…
Health, not weight: Avoid referring to body weight and place the emphasis on being healthy instead.
Reach for nature first: Encourage kids to embrace nature’s treats, like fresh fruit.
Mealtime, feelin’ fine: Get the whole family involved at mealtimes and eat more slowly to improve appetite regulation.
The full rainbow: Encourage your child to eat more nutritious foods by focusing on variety.
Play every day: Incorporate movement and a sense of playinto each day.
Screen shutdown: Limit the use of technology and replace with alternatives that bring the family together.
Healthy Parents, Healthy Kids by Nick Fuller
$36.99 at Dymocks
