ANSWER: I wish I had a dollar for every time I have been asked this question. The answer is actually very simple, but one most parents don’t want to hear it. OK, get ready for some “no nonsense nutrition advice.” You CAN’T get your kids to eat vegetables. If you want your kids to eat veggies, fruits, grains, low fat dairy....then YOU have to eat them yourself.
In other words, it just doesn’t work to sit at a fast food restaurant, stuffing your mouth with french fries, all the while screaming at your kids, “Eat your apple wedges.” It just doesn’t work to tell your kids to drink their milk while you are chugalugging a soft drink or sports drink. When we urge parents to “step up to the plate” and take on your responsibilities as role models, we are talking about the vegetable plate, too.
So, your question should be, "How can I get MYSELF to eat more vegetables?"
Many studies have been done to determine the best approach that adults can take to improve the nutrition of children, whether the adult is a parent, a relative, a teacher, or another caregiver. What the SCIENCE shows is a very clear-cut role for parents when it comes to the nutrition of their children:
1. Parents need to buy healthy food. Healthy foods are ones that fits into the USDA Dietary Guidelines and Choose My Plate (https://www.choosemyplate.gov/kids), not ones that fit into a food company's advertising and marketing. Do not let food companies define what is healthy; i.e., is a empty-calorie high sugar cereal healthy because it is made from whole grain? ....really??
2. Parents need to prepare food in an attractive and healthy manner. That means no frying, using less salt and sugar and making sure that all the food groups are present AT EACH MEAL and in a style that appeals to both you and your child. And, let your child help prepare the food. Even a 2-year old can help tear up some lettuce for the salad. Studies show that when children help prepare the food, they tend to eat it more often.
3. Parents need to eat or drink the food themselves. This is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. Parents need to model good eating behavior. Mom and Dad, you need to eat real food with your kids! And...you will be healthier for it and a better parent.
4. Parents need to shut up at dinner and stop urging, bribing, complaining, prompting and whatever. Parents SHOULD NOT prompt kids to “eat this” or “eat that.” You know what I mean…“Johnny, if you eat your tomatoes, you can have dessert.” All the studies show that when parents take this approach, Johnnie grows up hating tomatoes even more and loving dessert even more! After all, aren't you telling them, "I know veggies taste awful, but, as a reward, you can have this great-tasting dessert."
Instead, what about serving spaghetti with store-bought tomato sauce and cutting up extra tomatoes and putting them into the sauce prior to it being heated. Here’s another idea…what could be more fun for a kid than growing his or her own “spaghetti garden” with tomatoes, peppers, oregano, basil, and rosemary.”
5. Parents need to be within their reasonable weight ranges and create a culture of health for the entire family. Being overweight, obese, or physically inactive is NOT inherited. What are inherited is a family culture that empahsizes high fat, high salt, high sugar, and high calorie foods and a culture that encourages inactivity, instead of ACTIVITY. Children are really good at picking up non-verbal cues from adults. Sprawling on a couch in your undershirt and telling your kids to "Go outside and play”…hmmmm…do you really think THAT works? NOT!
One more thing, especially when it comes to very young children. The natural eating instinct in children is to use ALL the senses when they eat. They feel, smell, taste, hear...this is normal and natural. And, remember, the more variety of foods and veggies that kids eat when they are kids...well, guess what...the more variety of foods and veggies they eat as an adult, too.
Two terrific and FREE websites with very good science-based nutrition information for children are:
https://www.choosemyplate.gov/kids and, for pre-schoolers...
https://www.choosemyplate.gov/health-and-nutrition-informat…
What's the "Smartie Nutrition Advice" for today? When we say, “Parents, step up to the plate”....it means YOUR vegetable plate, too!
