Appetite Killers!

Do you have a young one who picks at their food at mealtime, barely eating anything?  Do you find yourself pressuring your child to eat more, try certain foods, or clean their plate? It can drive a parent crazy! I know you love your child and want them to be a healthy eater and that is why parents do these things sometimes. But there might be an easier and healthier way to end the mealtime battles: Watch out for appetite killers!

What are appetite killers? Some examples are:

·         Milk

·         Juice

·         Snacks

·         Other drinks (punch, soda, tea)

·         Basically anything except water!

Having any of these appetite killers in the 2-3 hours before a meal can cause your child to not be as hungry or interested in food at meal time. When they are not hungry they may eat less, but also may misbehave at the table instead of eating.

If you are tired of battling your child at mealtime try this: in the 2-3 hours before a meal, the kitchen is closed! No food or drinks (besides water) are allowed. Try to have a schedule where your child is fed 3 meals and 2-3 snacks every 2-3 hours. This gives them enough time to feel hungry in between but not so hungry that they become cranky and tired.

Remember that children do best when we let them decide how much and whether to eat, and even if you watch out for appetite killers and set up a schedule, they still may not eat as much as you want them to. You have to be OK with that. It is normal for kids to eat a little bit some days, a lot on other days, and a “normal” amount on other days.  

-Allison Leonard, RD

Raise a Healthy Eater

A recent study has come out suggesting that babies' taste preferences are shaped very early in the womb through amniotic fluid. Many flavors (such as garlic, vanilla, carrot) have been proven to pass through to the amniotic fluid. The researchers suggest that a mother's diet choices while pregnant could shape the baby's taste preferences for the rest of that child's life by exposing the fetus to different and exotic flavors. In other words, if you want your child to grow up liking broccoli, eat broccoli while you are pregnant!

While it certainly won't hurt (and you should really try for your own enjoyment) to eat a variety of flavors while pregnant, I wouldn't count on doing this to ensure your child grows up a "healthy eater". Children from all different cultures learn eventually to eat what their parents eat. Chinese children learn to eat Chinese food. Indian children grow up learning to eat spicy Indian food. French children learn to eat French food.

What has been proven is that repeated and neutral exposures to different foods are necessary to help a child learn to eat. Don't give up on a new food just because the child doesn't like it the first time they are exposed. It can take MANY times of seeing a food before they will even try or accept it. Children who grow up to be "picky eaters" often have parents who continually only offer them a limited selection of "safe" foods (chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs... sound familiar?) Or sometimes parents will make a whole separate meal for a picky child because they will not eat what the rest of the family is eating. This is a sure way to raise a picky eater.

So how can you raise a healthy eater?

1. Eat with your child as much as possible. Or have some responsible adult eat with them. Don't just feed them. They learn good table habits by watching you!




2. Offer new foods along with favorite foods. You can be child friendly and considerate of your child's preferences without catering to them or serving only "kid food". Serve a favorite or easy to like vegetable like corn with a less liked main dish. Serve a favorite main dish with a less liked side. That way if they don't want to eat the new food they can eat something else on the plate.
   



3. Do not pressure, bribe, or coerce your child to eat anything. This will make them back off of that food even more. Just present the new food as a "matter of fact". If they don't want to try it this time that is not a big deal. If it is something your family eats regularly they will likely accept it eventually.




4. We all have things we don't like to eat. Teach your child to politely turn down food they do not want to eat. It is OK to say "No thank you". It is not OK to say "Ew, YUCK!"
   

If you are a WIC client and have questions or concerns about your child's picky eating, call your local health department and ask to talk to a nutritionist.

Allison Leonard RD

WIC goes to Market!

This past weekend WIC visited the Spotsylvania Farmer's Market where we had a chance to mingle with local farmers and food crafters who bring their finest fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, baked goods and plants out to the commuter lot at Gordon Road and Rte. 3. What a great day!

Spotsylvania has the largest Farmer's Market in the region and this year they have added the ability to accept SNAP benefits! Simply take your SNAP EBT card to the Market Manager's stand and choose a dollar amount to exchange for tokens which can be used at any of the farm stands just like cash!

We also met a local Doctor who started her own website to push fresh fruits and veggies with kid-friendly (and kid tested!) easy and unique recipes. Get some fresh ideas from Doctor Yum!

WIC is out and about in the community all the time, so check our Upcoming Events tab on the left to see where you can find us next!

Fabulous Fruits and Vegetables part 2!

In my previous post, we talked about enjoying fruits and vegetables. But what if you cannot get your child to eat fruits or vegetables? You are not alone if you worry about this. Our WIC nutritionists hear this concern from parents all the time.

Parents realize their children should be eating fruits and vegetables, but the children are simply not interested. Some children won't eat fruit. Some children won't eat vegetables. And some children refuse both!

I would like to tell you that the first thing you have to do as a parent is relax. Most children will eat one or the other, and if that is the case they are not missing out on any major nutrition (both fruits and vegetables provide fiber, vitamins A and C, and antioxidants).

Are you pressuring your child to eat fruits or vegetables? Pressure can make matters worse! Even bribing with a toy or a dessert is still pressure. It makes the child think, "If they have to do all that to get me to eat this, it can't be good!"

Some celebrities, doctors, and even nutritionists recommend "hiding" fruits or vegetables in food by pureeing them and mixing it in. What happens when your child is old enough to find out? If this stuff is so nasty that you have to "hide" it to get your child to eat it, what do you think will happen when it comes to the child choosing fruits and vegetables to eat on their own? It won't happen. The child never learns to like fruits and vegetables.

Here is the easy part: All that you as a parent have to do is provide fruits and vegetables for your child. That is it. You do not have to force them to eat it if they do not want to (and doing so can turn them off of fruits or vegetables for a very long time!).

The parent is in charge of providing the child 3 meals and 2-3 snacks a day. We recommend to sit your child or toddler down to eat around the same times everyday (every 2-3 hours). We recommend that you or another responsible adult eat with the child, not just feed them. If you want your child to eat fruits and vegetables, then serve fruits and vegetables! Serve less liked foods or new foods with well liked foods. Let the child see you enjoying your foods and be pleasant at the table (no yelling, pressuring, or fighting please). That is all you have to do. The child will handle the rest. They will decide how much to eat and whether they are going to eat a certain food or not (if this sounds strangely bizarre to you, please check out Ellyn Satter for more info)

Remember that all children "sneak up" on new foods. They might look at a food but won't touch it. The next time they might touch it (and maybe smear it all over themselves!). The next time they might put it in their mouth but then take it out. The next time the might eat it! This is normal behavior. Do not assume that your child will not eat something if you have only tried it once. It can take 10, 15, or 20 times of being exposed to a new food before a young one will accept it.

Also, don't expect your child to eat something simply because "it is good for you". Children do not work like that. They eat what they think tastes good. Period. So make your fruits and vegetables taste good! Remember, some fruits and vegetables taste good all on their own and for others, it is ok to add dressing, butter, seasonings, and sauces to stronger tasting vegetables (like broccoli, greens, brussel sprouts).

-Allison Leonard RD