As Parents, How do you help...

At 6 yrs old, you still have time. Make healthy snacks fun and interesting, like ants on a log or something else healthy.

My kids are 12 yrs and 8 yrs. The 8 yr old has a slight weight problem so she is interested in eating healthier. The 12 yr old, on the other hand, wants no part of it. She is slight framed so she can be somewhat underweight and believes that she doesn't need to eat healthy. I've tried to explain that eating healthy is not just for overweight people, but she is young and has the metabolism of an antelope. :ohwell:

When my youngest was 6 she got extremely picky and I finally decided that I'd had enough. I made healthy food, put small portions on her plate and gave her the option of eating or not. For about two weeks she cried at almost every meal. Now, months later, she will eat what she is given even if it's not her favourite. I do allow her a few "no force" foods such as mushrooms, but for the most part, I expect her to eat it and after a period of adjustment she's come to understand that that's how we roll here. It helps that she sees her older sister eating the same food.

Kids always want to eat "fun" stuff. If you don't have it, they won't see it, and they won't ask for it.
Kids also like to be protected and kept somewhat under control; you don't need to be their friend, or to acquiesce to their every demand.
Your example is the thing that will stick with them, however. Show them the right way now, and it will last forever.

Your child(ren) make better food choices?

My six year old son only wants to eat hot dogs and chips, or any other processed food. I eat pretty good most of the time and hoped my habits would start to encourage better habits in him. (Single Parent - Try my hardest to lead by example!)

I limit the amount of 'junk' food we buy at the store. If we get it I try to show what a serving looks like. I try to explain (without talking a weight) how much you are supposed to eat. I 'eat healthy to be healthy' I explain to him. ( I buy lower sodium/no sugar added stuff... Pretzels instead of chips/ turkey hot dogs... etc.)

So, without forcing or ever buying junk, what have you done, read, seen, hope to do to encourage better habits?

(Websites, books, etc)
**Please forgive any spelling or grammar errors.**
Thanks so much!
Jenn

It is easier to start healthy, then to make changes.

Why does your child even know what those things are? My son is younger but we never introduce any junk (no white bread, no sugar, etc) this way he will not know what he is missing.

You can start hiding veggies in things he likes such as mac and cheese (don't do KD though, make you own), pizza sauce, pasta sauce, etc.

You just keep bringing in new healthy things and pushing out the others. My kids still get some "junk" because I want them to learn moderation. But eventually they will try the things you bring in and learn new favorites. Also,at that age, and actually for a few more years, buy something for yourself and don't offer him any and rave about how good it is. LOL My little one wouldn't eat anything you offered him but oh man, if you didn't offer and he could tell you were enjoying it, would decide he needed to give it a try. :laugh:

Your child(ren) make better food choices?

My six year old son only wants to eat hot dogs and chips, or any other processed food. I eat pretty good most of the time and hoped my habits would start to encourage better habits in him. (Single Parent - Try my hardest to lead by example!)

I limit the amount of 'junk' food we buy at the store. If we get it I try to show what a serving looks like. I try to explain (without talking a weight) how much you are supposed to eat. I 'eat healthy to be healthy' I explain to him. ( I buy lower sodium/no sugar added stuff... Pretzels instead of chips/ turkey hot dogs... etc.)

So, without forcing or ever buying junk, what have you done, read, seen, hope to do to encourage better habits?

(Websites, books, etc)
**Please forgive any spelling or grammar errors.**
Thanks so much!
Jenn

I'm a mean mom. I've been told this because I don't "let" my kids eat a lot of junk. My kids eat fairly healthy, but my daughter (also six) is a picky eater. She has very few foods that she likes and it can be a struggle to get her to eat others.

What has worked for us:
1) The kids go shopping with me, and each get to pick one vegetable and one fruit (more if I need more) My daughter has discovered that she loves plums, peaches, and carrots because she was more willing to try things she picked herself.

2) I cook with my kids, and they have a lot of say in what we choose each night, how we cook it, etc... Like above, my daughter is more willing to eat something she helped make.

3) We try new foods or recipes at least once a month, usually once a week. This helps a LOT. We found out that our kids love fresh green beans and snap peas, but neither one likes canned (and my daughter doesn't like frozen either) Finding a new way to prepare a familiar vegetable helped.

4) I do not force foods. We have a rule that they have to try everything, but there is no "clean your plate" type of thing in our house. They will eat it if they like it, and if they don't like it, forcing them to eat isn't going to help anything.

5) I cook one dinner, and only one. They can eat it or not, that is their choice. If they are hungry, they will eat. *This* has led to my SIL accusing me of being mean, and my BIL telling me he would rather feed his kids McDonald's than make them starve. Considering that they pick out the foods at the store AND help decide what we cook each night, I hardly think that's cruel. They are given plenty of choices and opprtunity to decline something before it is made- so if pure stubborness leads to them not eating, there's not much I can do about it.

Your child(ren) make better food choices?

My six year old son only wants to eat hot dogs and chips, or any other processed food. I eat pretty good most of the time and hoped my habits would start to encourage better habits in him. (Single Parent - Try my hardest to lead by example!)

I limit the amount of 'junk' food we buy at the store. If we get it I try to show what a serving looks like. I try to explain (without talking a weight) how much you are supposed to eat. I 'eat healthy to be healthy' I explain to him. ( I buy lower sodium/no sugar added stuff... Pretzels instead of chips/ turkey hot dogs... etc.)

So, without forcing or ever buying junk, what have you done, read, seen, hope to do to encourage better habits?

(Websites, books, etc)
**Please forgive any spelling or grammar errors.**
Thanks so much!
Jenn

It is easier to start healthy, then to make changes.

Why does your child even know what those things are? My son is younger but we never introduce any junk (no white bread, no sugar, etc) this way he will not know what he is missing.

You can start hiding veggies in things he likes such as mac and cheese (don't do KD though, make you own), pizza sauce, pasta sauce, etc.

Judgmental much? Seriously, a lot of us are only just beginning to make good choices ourselves.

which is why I gave options on how to fit in healthy food, but suggested it is easier not to introduce those foods in the first place, which may help some with young children that read the thread.

So, no not judgmental, just giving my opinion. Judgmental would have been me calling her a bad parent for doing so, I never did that and am not making that assumption.

Why does your child even know what those things are?

You wouldn't call this judgmental?

Why does your child even know what those things are?

You wouldn't call this judgmental?

No, again judgmental would be me saying she is a bad parent for having her child know what they are, asking a question is not judgmental, as no judgment was made. To be judgmental you have to make a judgment.