As a nutritionist and a mom, Sarah Garone knows all about the balance of trying to teach kids to be healthy eaters without becoming an “almond mom.” This TikTok-famous term refers to a mom who only gives her kid a handful of almonds, telling them that eating too many will make them fat, and that’s a diet culture we don’t want to promote.
Experts caution that many childhood food experiences can negatively impact kids’ relationship with food and they can carry that into adulthood. So how can well-meaning parents instill healthy habits in kids without doing any damage? Garone recommends these six steps to set the nutritious stage.
- Start early - Encourage experimentation by offering a wide variety of foods. Try to forget the idea of “kid foods” and “grown-up foods,” because if your child thinks salad and quinoa are for adults, they’re less likely to try them.
- Keep healthy foods on hand - If the highly processed snacks and sugary drinks aren’t in the house, no one can reach for them. Fill the fridge and pantry with healthy, convenient foods like whole wheat crackers, nut butters, and ready-to-grab fruits and veggies.
- Mix, don’t hide - Some people will advise you to hide healthy ingredients in “kid-friendly” foods, like muffins made with sweet potatoes, but that doesn’t teach kids to make healthy choices. Instead, try mixing nutritious ingredients into well-liked foods so kids can see them in there, like bell peppers on pizza and black beans on nachos.
- Offer them a choice - Kids feel empowered when they make their own decisions about food, so give them healthy options to pick from. Letting them decide between an apple or kiwi in their lunch is a win-win and they’ll feel like it was their idea.
- Let go of food morality - Try not to label foods as “good” or “bad” and treat them all equally. When foods are seen as “special,” like chocolate, it makes them more desirable and harder to resist.
- Set a healthy example - You’re the most important role model for your kids, so if they see you eating fast food or dieting, they’re picking up on that relationship with food. Leave diet culture out of the conversation and focus on modeling intuitive eating for your little ones so they’ll become adults who eat intuitively.
Source: Mind Body Green
Scott's Thoughts:
- It’s hard for a kid to understand why they can’t have ice cream every night if that’s what mom has!
- Me and my kids mother did a terrible job with this when our kids were little.
- How could I tell my kids to eat healthy if I wasn't.