From Children’s House
Students at Children’s House
When children turn up their noses at mealtime, parents often turn on the pressure to make sure they’ll eat – brewing instead a sure-fired recipe for failure. “But parents should trust that children will eat, know how much to eat and will choose variety – including balanced options – given the right opportunity and setting,” says nutrition specialist Beth Smith, a registered dietician working with Children’s House.
As children learn more about the world around them through food, the mealtime battle can be a constant in families. Texture, smell, taste, color – even environment – can influence food acceptance especially at an early age. “Ideally, mealtime should be a time for togetherness and celebration. In reality, mealtimes are often full of rules and result in a power struggle between the child and parent.” Smith says making meals both nutritious and fun are key ingredients to reducing mealtime drama and encouraging healthy eating.
Children’s House, a childhood early learning center on Orcas, is collaborating with Smith to provide nutrition education for their families and to suggest creative options for daily menus. At Smith’s suggestion, for example, Children’s House added “avocado” to snack time. The toddlers loved it; the preschoolers poo-pooed it. The lesson? “Try again. Tastes change.”
“We often expect them to eat everything we prepare and feel disappointed or worry when they don’t.” Smith offers three ways parents can encourage balanced eating:
- Establish mealtime routine, including time and place. Eating at the table establishes a family bond and builds the child’s trust.
- Provide the nutrition, but don’t force them to eat foods they don’t like today; palates mature and often what they don’t like now, they will in the future.
- Build in the fun by making mealtimes playful: let them use chopsticks, serve food family-style in colorful and assorted bowls, integrate themes like “Mexican Monday” or offer unique shapes and servings, like fruit kabobs.
On April 10, Smith will be hosting a cooking class for Children’s House families and students to demonstrate easy ways to create mealtime magic. “Making children part of the process is part of the solution.”
In conjunction with the program, Children House is sponsoring, “Eat for a Week,” a raffle which includes meals for two at nine local restaurants. The winner is also invited to a Tea Party at Children’s House where they’ll be treated to nutritious finger foods and tea prepared and served by the Preschoolers.
Tickets for the raffle are available for purchase at Children’s House, online, weekends outside Island Market, and May 4th at the Village Green. Proceeds benefit the toddler and preschool programs.
