Creating healthy eating habits for children

Creating healthy eating habits for children is something that I am passionate about. This post is dedicated to that. When I transitioned to plant based diet (I call it this but really it is much stricter than this), I did it overnight.  I have an autoimmune disease. After researching extensively I realised that I needed to get rid of all food that was proven to be inflammatory to my body.  It made sense, why would I eat food that was scientifically proven to be inflammatory when I had an inflammatory condition?

So I got rid of meat, eggs, dairy, gluten, sugar, processed foods, alcohol and caffeine.  I also carried out an elimination diet to see which whole food plant based foods were causing me trouble.  I unfortunately found quite a lot!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You can read the full disclosure here.

One thing I would never have expected from my family was for them to transition with me.  They were not sick after all.  However when you eat a certain way for health reasons, your family become interested.  My husband Paul researched a little too and listened to me talk endlessly about what food can do to your body.  Hippocrates was right when he said “let food be thy medicine”.  So it wasn’t long at all before he decided to become vegetarian and has been ever since.  He saw the improvements in my health and wanted to be healthier himself too.  He is predominantly plant based now and gluten free too.

Even my children were interested. They would often say they wanted to give up this or that. They did play around with giving up certain food groups like meat or dairy.  It is much more challenging for children though, if they haven’t done it from birth. They cannot see the bigger picture and how food could affect them in the future.  It is challenging for parents too when you want your children to change the way they eat but they are happy as they are.

The why

I have rheumatoid disease and so does my mum.  It is more prevalent in females and can run in families if you have the right “cocktail of ingredients”.  By this I mean; a genetic pre disposition, a standard western diet and a trigger of some kind, either physically or mentally.  I realise this is simplified to the extreme but the point I am trying to make is very important. That as a parent of two girls with a family history of autoimmune diseases, I have a responsibility to educate them so that they have the best chances of not developing an autoimmune disease.

I want to protect them, it is an instinct parents have.  For me in this instance, I want to teach them how to be as healthy as they can be.  As well as this simplified “cocktail” there are other factors that can contribute to acquiring an autoimmune disease.  For example obesity and smoking, teaching my children about making healthy lifestyle choices will give them the best chance of preventing their family history from catching up with them.

I still wouldn’t expect them to live completely like me, sugar is a good example.  My girls will not be asked to give up sugar, they are kids!  I do however limit it and make healthy swaps where I can to help. They eat a mostly a vegetarian, gluten free diet now.  The no meat and gluten “rule” is relaxed when they go to friend’s houses or sometimes when going out to eat.  And they eat a little dairy (although I am secretly hoping this won’t be for too much longer).

So whether you want your children to eat healthier because of reasons similar to mine or just because you don’t like the way they eat.  This post will give you my tips on helping your children eat more healthily, I really hope it helps.

Number one

Remember you are in charge.  This may sound harsh but it is true.  You buy the food, you make the food and you know what is healthy to eat.  So if you have to be a little more authoritarian then so be it!  I’m not suggesting that you do not buy their favourite chocolate anymore or that you make them eat food they actively dislike. But you can make a rule where there is only one sweet treat a day, the rest of the time it is healthier options like fruit or humus and crudités. Do not feel bad for being a little more strict with this. It is a parents job to keep children healthy.

Number two

Make them try.  This can be tricky. Especially with fussy eaters, but make them try the food you eat if it is different to theirs.  Better yet, when you serve a meal put something they haven’t tried before on their plate and make it a rule that they have to try it, just a mouthful.  Sometimes it is the thought that is worse than the actual taste. So if you make it a new rule, they may find that they actually like something new.

My eldest daughter disliked peppers, wouldn’t touch them.  One day I realised that she had only really tried peppers that were cooked. So with her favourite humus and carrot snack I added some raw peppers.  She protested but I persevered and said she just needs to take a bite to see what she thought.  She now requests them with her humus every time, although she still hates cooked ones!

Number three

This goes hand in hand with the last point; don’t keep making the same “safe” meals.  This trap is far too easy to get into.  As a parent we want to see our children eat a good meal, so we make the meals we know they like.  How are they expected to get used to new flavours if they are never exposed to any?  I totally understand that wasting food is a potential unwanted by product of this tip but there are ways around this.

Make something similar to what they like already; Bolognese with a homemade sauce instead of a shop bought one.  Or made with tempeh instead of beef and see how they get on.  If they hate it, keep it for your lunch tomorrow. Make them some toast so they are not hungry and try again another day.  I promise you that you will find things that they like when you are least expecting it.

Another thing to look out for is the stroppy attitude or tears if you serve your child a meal they haven’t tried before.  Keep your cool and just remind them that you are trying to be healthier as a family and that everybody is trying the same thing.  Some you will lose, some you will win. But never lose your cool and give in to them not even trying it.  I am not suggesting here that you serve a meal that you know your child already dislikes just because it is healthy.  Just keep trying new healthy options.

Number four

Do not force your child to eat meals that you have made if they really do not like it.  Forcing children to sit to the table until they have finished their food is in my opinion archaic and unkind.  More importantly food is supposed to be fun. It is supposed to be delicious and nourishing and hopefully a time when you all sit together and enjoy each other’s company.  Not a battleground!  They key is to keep trying, if they protest but they have tried, you have already won.  Keep it light hearted, we do not want any bad relationships with food to be forming.

Number five

Get the children involved with meal planning.  Every week I ask my girls for one thing they want to eat the next week.  This way I know they each have a day that they will be 100% happy with their meal.  Well I do try and cook meals that will go down well all of the time, so hopefully it is more than just one day that they are happy, but you get what I mean.

When you have some of their favourite meals listed you can start to add ingredients to see if they will like them. Rather than giving them a whole meal you are not sure that they will eat.  Let me give you an example.  Both of my girls love stir fry vegetables with either noodles or rice.  So I have, over the years added various different vegetables to the mix to test those taste buds.

I have found that my eldest will pretty much each all stir fry veg apart from edamame beans. My youngest really dislikes mangetout and baby corn!  So I just serve it up and pick out a few of the vegetables they do not like. Explain that if there are any of the vegetables left on their plate that they do not like, just to leave them to the side.  Most of the time they eat a few of them anyway.  Winner!

Also if they have asked for a certain meal, there can be no excuses not to eat it.

Number six

Get them involved with making the meals.  I get it, getting children to help does slow the process down considerably. When you are already pushed for time it can turn it into a nightmare where fuses are short.  But just pick a couple of days where you can spare the time and let them help a little. Maybe just with stirring the pot or washing the vegetables.  They will find it fun and if you sneakily ask them to help prepare a meal they are not sure they will like, there is more chance of them liking it!

I really hope that this post gives you some ideas and allows you to think a little differently to help this process. Creating healthy eating habits for children, really is the kindest thing you can do for their current and future health.

Health and happiness

Laura x