6 Easy Tips For Helping Your Child Choose Healthy Foods

I wrote this article as a guest post for Jenna’s food with kid appeal blog. She has great recipes and tips for eating healthy that will bring joy to the entire family. Check it out!

Do you worry that your child does not show any interest in fruits and veggies no matter how hard you try? What would your child pick from the store shelves if you let her choose freely on your next grocery shopping trip? Do you think that the next time you grab that Coke, or a bag of chips, your child is not watching or wanting to do the same?

To answer these questions, look at your own food buying and eating habits. That is what the authors of “Like Parent, Like Child” conclude in their paper published recently in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. I found their report very fascinating.

Design of the study

In a role-play exercise with 120 children, 2-6 years old, researchers at Dartmouth School of Medicine analyzed their “shopping” preferences as an “adult”, when asked to choose items from a play grocery store in preparation for a movie night with friends. The play store was stocked with 133 miniature items representing 73 different types of products commonly found in a grocery store. Included in these items were a total of 98 items from 55 different types of food and beverage products. There were fruits and vegetables, candies, sweet snacks and desserts, breads, cereals, grains, meats and nuts, dairy and juice, salty snacks, prepared foods and soft drinks.

Parents of these children were asked to complete a questionnaire in an observation room while the children shopped in the play store. Questions related to child and family demographics, TV watching habits, how often children went grocery shopping with parents, and how often parents bought specific food and beverage products.

Data analysis and results

Products purchased by children were divided into three categories – least healthy, somewhat healthy and most healthy. A statistical analysis was done to see if there was any relationship between the buying preferences of the children and the information provided by the parents. Here are some of the key results:

• Children purchased a mixture of healthier and less healthy products – cake, soda and candy were the most popular less healthy foods, while fresh food, bread and pretzels were the most popular healthier foods.
• Most of the children at the checkout had shopping baskets in the least healthy category. However, on an average, there were about an equal number of healthy and less healthy products.
• There was a strong relationship between the buying preferences of parents and children. When the parents buying preference scored high on the least healthy side, the shopping cart of their children also had least healthy products.
• 100% of the parents reported that they took their children grocery shopping with them. 94% reported that they sometimes or often allowed their children to choose groceries.
• There was no effect of child’s age/sex, parent education, child allowed to choose groceries and TV watching on buying preference shown by the children.

Six actions you can take to promote healthy habits

• The buck stops (and starts) with you – believe it or not, you are the role model for your children. They will watch you closely and mimic your actions even if you don’t intend them to do so. Pay attention to what you say to them and what you do in front of them. At times, it might be tempting to take a stand that it is ok for “grown-ups” to have that soda and chips, or that yummy chocolate cake. Just remember that they will most likely make the same choice if given the freedom to play a grown-up. Being a role model is hard, but It applies to everything; not just grocery shopping or eating habits.
• Pay attention to your grocery cart – this is even more important if you, like most other parents, take your child shopping with you. Sometimes it may be difficult if your child is in a bad mood or if you are in a rush. It might be a good idea to carry a grocery list and going to the store after your child has had his afternoon nap and his tummy is full.
• Use every shopping visit as an opportunity – use every visit to the grocery store to teach and reaffirm healthy habits. Make up stories about what happens to young boys and girls when they pick healthy food and when they pick unhealthy food. Use a carrot-and-stick approach and both positive and negative reinforcements. Reward positive behavior by giving a treat (of course healthy!). Give them the ability to make a choice on their own.
• Bypass the soda and candy aisle – at first, avoidance may be the best strategy. In the long run, however, you should try to have them make the right choice by themselves. Clearly, they develop this ability at a very young age based on the results of this study. You may have to be extra vigilant at the checkout since many stores keep these items within easy reach next to the cashier. You may need to occupy your child with something more interesting at that time.
• Get creative when you plan your next party – even if you avoid soda, chips, candy and desserts in your regular shopping, chances are that they are at the very top of your shopping list for a party. I am guilty of that myself – it is very easy to offer them as a snack and a filler. The risk here is that children will learn to associate these unhealthy foods with “fun” and “party” and will show a preference for them when given a chance. Perhaps substitute potato chips with baked organic pita chips; cake with a fruit salad; soda with mineral water, flavored water or fruit punch. The point here is to get creative and use healthy alternatives to common party snacks. I am not suggesting that you go cold-turkey; just that you should reduce the amount and frequency of these snacks at your next party.
• Watch what you order at a restaurant – being a role model does not stop when you leave home! The good news is that consistent behavior on your part will produce the desired results in your children’s behavior. The bad news is that it will take a disciplined effort on your part. So pay attention to the choices you make when you order your food and beverages at a restaurant. I have now stopped ordering chips and soda with my sandwiches! It sure takes a deliberate and consistent effort.

Share your ideas

Do you have another idea that has worked well for you? How do you promote healthy habits in your children? Feel free to share with other readers. Point us to other resources on the web that you have found really useful.

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Tagged as: Grocery Shopping, Healthy Habits, Helpful Tips, Parenting, Role Model