Tips for parents

As a parent, you play an important role in helping your child develop healthy attitudes and habits regarding nutrition. If children develop healthy habits at an early age, they are more likely to maintain these habits in adulthood and possibly as parents themselves.

• Talk to your kids about smart food choices and how important they are for keeping them healthy and feeling good.
• Keep it positive to avoid creating the guilt and stress that can lead to eating disorders and poorer eating patterns as children age. Use the “everything in moderation” approach to foods, reassuring your children that foods like candies and fries are not completely off the list but used as occasional additions to a diet consisting of foods from the four food groups.
• Start at home by ensuring only healthy foods are available. Limit or eliminate foods high in sugar, fat, sodium and/or preservatives. It is hard to avoid the goodies if they are right under your nose. If the only foods available are the healthy ones that is what will be eaten.
• Make good nutrition convenient by having nutritious ready-to-eat snacks like fruits, vegetables, water, milk and whole-grain snacks.
• Don’t ask, just serve a healthy snack to your kids while they are sitting around. Put a plate of cut-up fruit or veggies and low-fat dip in front of your kids and they will probably gobble it up.
• Involve your children in grocery shopping and meal preparation to teach them more about healthy nutrition and to increase their interest in the types of foods you are serving.
• Food journals can be a tool to become more aware of what you consume and the areas that need attention in your diet. Give each family member a piece of paper and have them put it somewhere in the kitchen. Have them write down everything they eat or drink, including portion sizes, over a period of three days. At the end of the three days, have a look at the entries in the journals. Most people are amazed to see just how much they eat in the course of a day. It may also become clear which types of foods need to be added or reduced in your family’s diet.
• Set expectations by being clear about the family’s eating habits both at home and when eating out. For example, breakfast is eaten by all, desserts aren't an option when eating out, and milk or water is the beverage of choice at meal time. Involve the kids in developing your family rules around eating.