Despite our good intentions, a busy schedule, difficult children or simple moments of weakness can disrupt our good eating habits. Our food journalist Madeleine Greey discusses some common obstacles and offers advice on how to get around them.
Obstacle: Getting out of breakfast
The excuses are many: the mother has to bathe and comb her hair before going to work, the eight-year-old grumbles and refuses to get out of bed, the little one needs help getting dressed … Even when the parents have time to prepare a balanced breakfast, they are often greeted with “I’m not hungry” and sleepy faces in the morning. “the body feels hungry only 20 minutes after waking up”. A great challenge!
An empty stomach does not promote children’s learning. Because hunger can cause fatigue, lethargy, headaches, stomach pains and even cause anger, anxiety and confusion. In addition, children on an empty stomach are less likely to choose a healthy lunch at midday and are more likely to stuff themselves with foods high in sugar, fat and calories and therefore less nutritious.
Smarter than the trap
Set the table for breakfast while you prepare lunch.
Get up early so that small stomachs have time to wake up.
Convey a message that your children will remember: “If you eat breakfast, you will be better at math. ”
Make a balanced breakfast that includes foods from three food groups. A piece of cold pizza and a piece of fruit, a smoothie and a slice of peanut butter bread … anything is possible.
Obstacle: the madness of greatness
Even healthy foods, such as fruit juice, can lose their preferred status if consumed in excess. You don’t really think about it, until one day you realize that your child is drinking six glasses of apple juice a day, every day.
The juice is naturally rich in vitamins, but it also contains a lot of sugar which, if ingested in excess, leaves less space for other healthy foods. According to Canadian Dietitians, children aged one to six should drink 125ml to 175ml (½ to ¾ cup) of juice a day. Instead, they advise giving them real fruits, full of fiber.
XL mochaccinos and Frisbee-sized cookies are now the norm. Family meals are no exception: our meals are more satisfying and studies confirm that children eat the portions they are served – without leaving any leftovers.
Smarter than the trap
Set a visual example for your children. Place a stack of 16 packets of sugar next to a 700 ml soft drink to show children how much sugar it actually contains. In the evening, the portions of each food group in a two-year-old child’s meal should not be larger than the palm of the hand, whether vegetables, grains or proteins. Portions should increase as he ages.
Reduce the size of your dishes.
Observe the dishes and bowls you use at home. A 125 ml (½ cup) serving of ice cream (a typical amount listed on nutrition labels) looks ridiculously small in a normal cereal bowl, but in a smaller bowl it becomes much more interesting.
Obstacle: Lack of time
You are always running away. In the morning, you run to work and in the evening you take your kids from place to place. And what do you end up neglecting? Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“It’s all about planning”
Smarter than the trap
Plan your meals each week and make your shopping list later. This will prevent you from finding yourself in front of an empty refrigerator at 5:30 pm and from eating meals on the go again.
Plan quick and simple meals, like pizzas on whole wheat flatbread, easy egg dishes, and make your own tacos or sandwiches. Dinners don’t have to be elaborated.
Keep a list of simple, balanced meals that your family likes to eat. This will give you ideas when you are too hungry to think!
Smarter than the trap
Prepare foods that your children have observed differently. Young people sometimes need to taste a new food ten times before they yield to the power of the Force, but most parents give up after two or three attempts.
“Stay neutral during meals. Even though it is difficult for you not to think about the time, money and effort you have invested, do not say a word.
Obstacle: Eating without thinking
Nibble in front of the television. Eat a hamburger in the car. Touch the computer or play a video game between bites … There are many sources of entertainment, but children should understand that at mealtimes it’s what counts on the plate.
Smarter than the trap
Slow down. Eating slowly allows us to be aware of our satiety levels and listen to our body when it tells us that it is no longer hungry.
Make meals a family affair: children who eat regularly with their families tend to eat healthier foods, be healthier, wiser and perform better at school.
Obstacle: small snacks
It’s party time, and cheese and snack snacks are on the menu. Whether it’s birthday cupcakes tucked in a lunchbox or the big bowl of buttered popcorn prepared for the family movie night, the habit of snacking without thinking has become commonplace. But snacks should not be avoided: remember that it is often the time when children are most likely to eat fruits and vegetables.
Smarter than the trap
Watch out for kitchen cabinets. If you don’t fill them with sodas, chips and cookies, you won’t have to ration or grumble. Always keep cut fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator, where children can help themselves. They will eat more if you serve them with a dip or if you offer them after school or before bed.
Set boundaries and don’t stigmatize. When parents completely prohibit treats, children tend to have fun when they find them in or
