Good nutrition begins in infancy, and is the basis of lifelong health.  Healthy eating can stabilize children’s energy, sharpen their minds, and even out their moods, yet kids are bombarded by messages that can counteract parents’ efforts.  Whether it is peer pressure, or the constant television commercials for junk foods, getting children to eat healthy might seem more futile than fruitful.

Encouraging healthy eating habits at a young age can have a vast impact on your children’s lifelong relationship with food.  Children develop a natural preference for the foods they enjoy the most, so it can become a challenge to make healthy foods appealing.

Here are ways you can promote healthy childhood eating:

1. Have regular family meals- Knowing that dinner is served at about the same time every night is not only comforting, but also enhances appetite.
2. Cook more meals at home- Eating home cooked meals are healthier for the family and set an excellent example for kids about the importance of food.
3. Get kids involved- Children enjoy helping adults grocery shop, selecting what goes in their lunch box, and also helping to prepare and cook dinner.
4. Make a variety of healthy snacks available- Keep plenty of fruits, veggies, whole grain snacks, and healthy beverages (water, milk, pure fruit juice) around so that kids can become used to reaching for the healthier snacks rather than junk food.
5. Limit portion sizes- Try not to insist that your child cleans their plate, and never use food as a reward or bribe.

Toddlers can be introduced to new tastes and textures as they transition from baby food to “real” food.  However, don’t forget that toddlers have very small stomachs.  It may be better to feed them 5-6 small meals a day, rather than 3 large ones.  At the school- age level, eating becomes a social activity.  Your kids probably spend more time in school than they do at home, eat meals at friends’ houses, and adopt eating habits from their peers.  Therefore, it can become difficult to guarantee they are getting adequate nutrition when you are not around, so try to maintain regular family mealtimes.  Finally, growth spurt time occurs in the teenage years.  Kids gain about 20% of adult height, and 50% of adult weight during adolescence.  The requirements for all nutrients increase because growth and change is so rapid during this period.  Eating habits are usually well set by now. Parents can talk to children about short- term consequences of a poor diet which can include appearance, athletic ability, energy, and the pure enjoyment of life.  All of these consequences are more important to most teens than long- term health.

No matter how well parents promote healthy eating, it can be difficult for any kid to avoid the temptation of junk food.  Try substituting some healthier alternatives, rather than eliminating junk food entirely, which tends to increase cravings even more.