Healthy Eating for Young Children
Kathy Adams, Early Childhood Educator

“I’m Hungry!!!”

What do we do when our children are hungry?  We want to encourage healthy eating, but how?  There are many things we can do as parents to provide opportunities for healthy eating in our young children.  The most important thing to remember is that it is our job to provide the food and our child’s job to eat it. 

Here are some things you can do to encourage healthy eating in your young child:

• Purchase nutritious foods when you go to the store.  Your child will not have the option of hot dogs every day if you do not buy hot dogs.
• Involve your child in the process.  Children will often eat or drink more when they have an opportunity to help.  Have a child-sized apron for your child to wear when they help you prepare food.
• Allow your child to help with the actual food preparation.  Consider your child’s developmental stage.  Even very young children can stir ingredients or scrub vegetables.  Children can use butter knives to slice bananas or strawberries. 
• Use child-size pitchers for pouring.  Children can pour their own water or milk.  There may be spills, so it is best to start with water.  If there is a spill, your child can help clean it up.
• Have nutritious play food available. 
• Model nutritious eating.  Your children will observe what you do.
• Help your child focus on eating by having snacks and meals at the table.  Eating in front of the television or while walking around may create distractions and safety concerns.
• Give your child limited choices when appropriate. For example, you can offer 2 choices for a snack.  Asking a child “what do you want to eat?” can set both you and the child up for some conflicts.

Children will learn their eating habits from us.  There is much we can do to encourage good choices for a lifetime.

Additional Resources:
Twos Mealtime Issues
www.mnparentsknow.org 
www.zerotothree.org
www.mayoclinic.com