Kids and Food | Thunder Bay District Health Unit

Eating, like a lot of other things in children’s lives, is a skill that is learned as kids grow. As a parent or caregiver, you play an important role in forming your children’s eating habits. Providing a variety of food choices and getting children to eat them can be one of many parenting challenges. The dietitians at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit are here to help!

Toddlers and Food

You might be surprised to find that children may actually eat less once they go from babies to toddlers. This is because their growth slows down after the first year of life. It's also normal for your child to eat a lot one day and very little the next. It is recommended for toddlers to continue breastfeeding/chestfeeding to two years of age and beyond, in addition to eating solid foods.

Other things will affect their eating habits, too. For example, toddlers or preschoolers may refuse to eat as a way to take control of their lives. Toddlers also may be happy to sit at the table for 15 to 20 minutes and no longer.

Remember that parents and children both have a responsibility in eating. Parents provide what to eat (foods from the four food groups), when (regularly scheduled meals and snacks) and where (keep kids safe e.g. in highchairs or booster seats). Then let your child decide which foods and how much they are ready to eat. As long as you have meals planned and snacks in between, they will get the food they need to grow and thrive. Learn more about the Division of Responsibility in Feeding.

How to Encourage Children to Eat Well

As a parent, you decide what food is in the house and when to serve it. But it helps to give children some control, especially as they get older. You decide what food to serve, when it is served and where they will eat. Then let your children decide which of the choices to eat, and how much – they can always come back for more if they're hungry.

Here are some other tips:

Schedule meal and snack times so children know that when they are hungry, food will be available.
Limit juice and milk between meals, and offer water instead (which won’t affect appetite).
Keep portion sizes small. A good serving size for a child would be 1/2 a bagel, 1 oz (30 g) of meat, or 1/4 cup (50 ml) of fruit or vegetable pieces. Refill the plate if your child asks for more, but don't be alarmed if the plate isn’t clean.
Make every bite count. Children have small stomachs that fill quickly, so aim to serve foods with lots of essential nutrients, often. Some examples are peanut/nut butter, cheese, chicken, eggs, and yogurt.
Avoid being a short-order cook! Serve one meal for everybody, with at least one food at each meal that your child enjoys. Aim to include foods from all food groups.
Give your child a small amount of a new food on their plate to taste. They don't have to eat it but it allows them the opportunity to try the new food. (Research shows that it takes many introductions of a new food for children to learn to like it. Encourage your child to try the new food but don’t push. They will try when they are comfortable and if we don’t apply too much pressure.)
Make family mealtimes pleasant. Turn off screens and take time to talk with each other instead of rushing through a meal.
Have some quiet time before it's time to eat. Your child needs to be calm, well-rested and hungry to eat well.

Cooking with Kids

One great way to help kids eat balanced meals is to involve them in the cooking of those meals. Getting kids in the kitchen helps in many ways:

Teaches them how to cook for themselves, which is a handy skill as they get older
Cooking involves many different skills including fine motor skills and problem-solving
Kids learn about each ingredient and how to prepare it
Encourages kids to try new recipes – and new foods
Kids learn the connection between food and health
Gives kids a sense of accomplishment
Helps you bond with your child through a necessary activity with a clear goal (make a meal)
It’s fun!

It takes patience on the part of the parent. It can get messy. But the sense of pride your child will have from helping you make a meal is all worth it.

The TBDHU has two cookbooks with kid-approved recipes and tips on cooking with your kids:

Cooking Basics for Kids (PDF)
Adventures in Cooking (Ages 8-12) - Leader's Manual (PDF)
Adventures in Cooking Menu (Recipes)(PDF)
Cooking with Kids of Different Ages (PDF)

Eat Like a Champion

Athletes need more energy to fuel their activity and perform their best. The Eat Like a Champion (PDF) resource touches on a variety of subjects related to nutrition for athletes. It was created prior to the revision of Canada's Food Guide but is still a great resource for athletes. It covers topics such as:

What to eat before, during and after exercise
Team snack ideas
Fluids and hydration
Supplements
Travel and restaurant tips
Sports nutrition myths and facts

Teens and Eating

Teens need more nutrients! The biggest growth spurt since babyhood occurs during your teenage years. That means teens require extra calories and more nutrients including protein, calcium and iron. As a parent, it’s particularly important to serve foods from all four food groups for strong bones, bodies and minds.