Ways to Approach Eating

• Children are responsible for how much and whether or not to eat
• Parents are responsible for what, when and where kids eat  
• Avoid using food as a reward for good behavior
• Eat a healthy breakfast every day  
• Listen to your body’s hunger and fullness signals
• Encourage your child to feel good about his/her body  
• Cook healthy meals together as a family
• Eat together as a family 
• Be a role model for your child by eating the same healthy foods with your child

When your child is feeling well . . .

Dont's

• Don't expect too much
• Don't force feed
• Don't promise a high sugar food as bribery
• Don't offer too much liquid between or with meals - six to eight ounces between meals is usually enough
• Eat in front of the TV
• Give up!!!
  

Do's

• Begin to develop good eating habits today.  It’s never too early!
• Model good eating habits.
• Introduce a variety of foods into your child's diet.
• Offer small amounts of a NEW food several times in one week.
• Offer fruits and vegetables several times a day.
• Give small amounts and gradually increase serving size.
• If food is rejected, try again in a day or a week.
• Offer smaller, more frequent meals up to 6 times per day.
• Offer a choice of one of two good food choices, i.e., raisins or peanuts.  Allow the child to choose between two options whenever possible. 
  Limit “junk food” to no more than once a day.
• Get the child involved in simple meal preparation.  Cutting, chopping, pouring, blending, pushing the button on the blender…
• Children need to eat often.  Set a routine meal and snack time and require the child to sit and eat a small amount of a healthful food and drink.  Five minutes at the table should be a minimum timeframe.

When your child is not feeling well…