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I’m Over the Food Fight!
by Janelle Thompson
Sep. 10, 2017
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When my son turned 2 1/2, he decided cereal was no longer his breakfast of choice. From that point on, his culinary preferences became a bit, shall we say, unconventional. More often than not, he requests fruit snacks. Initially, I would insist on something healthier, like actual fruit, but he was relentless. Eventually, I chose to preserve my sanity and just let him have the fruit snacks.
That was the last time I stressed over his meal choices. I realized that as long as he was eating something, I wasn’t going to lose sleep over whether it was perfectly balanced. In our household, we don’t adhere to the traditional three meals a day. Sometimes he wakes up craving pasta for breakfast, and other times he wants cereal for dinner. He’s not particularly picky, but he is quite stubborn and knows what he likes, and honestly, it’s just not worth the fight.
My guidelines for his daily meals are straightforward: no candy before noon, and he must have some fresh fruit or veggies at some point during the day. And guess what? It works! We rarely argue over food now, and he’s eating enough to keep himself energized, which feels like a major victory.
Getting kids to eat can be a nightmare for many families. I’m no food expert, and my son isn’t perfect, but we have decided to reserve our battles for other matters. Grocery shopping with kids can be a hassle, but I’ve found that when they feel included in the process, complaints tend to decrease. The more autonomy we give them in making choices, the more open they seem to be to trying new foods. I often suggest options subtly; offering two choices like “You can have pretzels or cucumbers, but no cookies right now” really helps reduce the friction.
Leading by example is crucial. If they see you indulging in cookies for breakfast, they’ll likely want some too. On the flip side, if you eat plenty of fruits and veggies, there’s a good chance they’ll want to mimic that behavior. Of course, there are always kids who defy the norm and are either super picky or adventurous eaters.
One of the most important things is to avoid shaming them for their food choices. Shaming doesn’t magically turn kids into healthy eaters. Even if I think it’s odd for my son to choose noodles and cucumbers for breakfast, it’s his decision. I roll with it and adjust when necessary. If we wouldn’t want others dictating our food choices, why should we be rigid with our children? We must equip them with the tools to make reasonable decisions and then allow them to apply those lessons.
After a year of this approach, I can confidently say it works for us. Mealtime is no longer a struggle. When you’re already juggling countless battles throughout the day, wouldn’t it be refreshing to avoid one over food? If he wants peas at 11:00 AM, I’ll make them. If he wakes up asking for pretzels, I’ll serve them up. Seriously, if you take a step back, they’ll likely follow suit. I promise.
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Summary:
In navigating the often tumultuous relationship between children and food, it’s essential to ease the tension by allowing kids the freedom to make their own choices, while still providing healthy options. By adopting a more relaxed attitude, the mealtime struggle can transform into a more enjoyable experience for both parents and children.