KIDS IN THE KITCHEN
Embrace your wiggly-self, serve up a rainbow and negotiate with the power of the ‘magic cracker!’
Eating habits start young.
As a parent or carer or food provider, we believe it’s our calling / duty to help educate (and entertain!) our kids with different foods and flavours. It’s not always easy, because as babies, to toddlers, to teenagers, all kids go through their growth journey along with their taste buds!
And like most things, we can all influence our kids attitude to food - positively and negatively.
-
Educate and entertain with food in the kitchen. Get your kids involved early with simple food prep - sure, let them make a little mess, the learning will do wonders for the future.
Be silly! Be the ‘Wiggles’ entertainer, singing little funny tunes to engage and inspire the fun side…it will go along way when you need to put your foot down and start negotiating with the ‘magic cracker’!
-
Try something new each week. If you are eating the same food week in week out, then you need to try and mix it up a little.
Treats are just that - treats. You must limit sweets, soft drinks and fast food…this is not real food! Remember the more your kids eat this stuff, the harder you will have to work to wean them off it.
Plus, as you fill the void with healthier food, your kids will get an appreciation themselves for the good and the bad, and will make better choices themselves.
-
Give up once and you have to work three times as hard to bring it back.
Start with the focus, that you will do whatever it takes to entertain and try different foods, using some of the tips and tricks we have proven to work below.
“Our passion for food began as kids and our passion for healthy food starts with kids.”
Be aware of how your attitude to food and cooking flows to your kids.
Some people don’t really love cooking, or preparing food - it carries more of a negative feeling.
Your attitude to food will directly influence your children’s attitude to food. It’s not always easy, but it’s good to be aware of how you feel about it as that will influence what you pass on.
Do you see cooking as a chore?
Do you see thinking about lunches and dinners as something you dread?
Do you struggle with your children with their fussy eating?, even though you have ‘slaved over the stove’!
As a parent, your attitude toward food can significantly influence your children's eating habits and attitudes toward food. Children are highly influenced by their parents' behaviors, including how they approach food, their food choices, and their attitudes toward eating.
Here are some ways your attitude towards food and the food making process, will impact your children:
Role modeling: Children learn by observing their parents. If they see you enjoying a variety of healthy foods and having a positive attitude toward meals, they are more likely to mimic these behaviors.
Food preferences: Your food preferences can influence what foods your children are exposed to and develop a taste for. Introducing a variety of nutritious foods early on can help shape their preferences.
Eating environment: The atmosphere at mealtimes, including whether meals are enjoyed together as a family, can affect children's attitudes toward food. A positive, relaxed mealtime environment can promote healthy eating habits.
Attitudes toward body image: Your attitude toward your own body and how you talk about body image can impact your children's body image and relationship with food.
Approach to treats and indulgences: How you approach treats and indulgences can influence your children's attitudes toward these foods. Teaching moderation and balance is important.
Response to picky eating: How you respond to picky eating behaviors can affect your children's willingness to try new foods. Encouraging but not forcing them to try new foods and being patient can help.
It's important to be mindful of your own attitudes and behaviors around food and eating, as these can have a lasting impact on your children's eating habits and relationship with food. Setting a positive example and creating a healthy eating environment can help promote a lifetime of healthy eating habits for your children.
Talk to your friends who love cooking and get their simple tips to help. Children love simple!
Get home delivery of your groceries so you don’t have to waste time walking the supermarket and also throwing things into the trolley you probably don’t need.
Get help by trying something different in the kitchen. Try a few basic new recipes and get your kids involved in the making.
The stages of taste bud development
The development of taste buds in children is a fascinating process that begins before birth and continues into early childhood.
Here's a general overview of what happens with taste buds during a child's stages of development:
Prenatal development: Taste buds begin to form around the 7th week of gestation. By the 13th to 15th week, taste buds are fully developed and functional. At this stage, the fetus can taste the amniotic fluid, which can be influenced by the mother's diet.
Infancy (0-12 months): Newborn babies have taste preferences that are innate and evolutionary, such as a preference for sweet flavors and a dislike for bitter tastes, which may have developed to ensure the consumption of breast milk. Babies are born with around 10,000 taste buds, which is more than adults have.
Toddlerhood (1-3 years): Toddlers begin to develop more refined taste preferences and may show increased acceptance of certain flavors and textures while rejecting others. This is a critical period for shaping their food preferences and eating habits.
Preschool age (3-5 years): By this age, children's taste preferences continue to evolve, influenced by exposure to a variety of foods and cultural influences. They may become more open to trying new foods but may also become more selective in their food choices.
School-age (6-12 years): Taste preferences become more stable during this period, although they can still be influenced by environmental factors such as peer pressure and media influences. Children may develop stronger likes and dislikes for certain foods.
Throughout these stages, it's important for children to have exposure to a variety of flavors and textures to help develop a diverse palate. Encouraging healthy eating habits early on can help set the stage for a lifetime of good nutrition.
What are the unhealthiest foods for kids?
At LOVE FOOD we always try our hardest to not only know a persons dietary preferences, but to also know what’s best for them, particularly kids.
We don’t compromise when it comes to long-term nutrition…we just don’t make it or serve it.
Sure, we all have the odd treat here or there, but there are some foods we will never touch or never serve to people or even our own family! We all know the right and wrongs of good and bad foods! But what happens is, the day-to-day creeps in and bad habits evolve.
The unhealthiest foods for kids are typically those that are high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and salt, and low in essential nutrients. These foods can contribute to poor health outcomes, including obesity, dental cavities, and an increased risk of chronic diseases later in life.
And don’t take the front food label words as ‘health, healthier’ on face value…food labelling is advertising! There are a ton of food products out there that are far from healthy. Read the nutritional panel on the back and look at the top three ingredients, and where it’s made.
We all know this, but just as a ‘reality check’, the most unhealthy foods for kids include:
Fast food: Fast food is often high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and salt, and low in essential nutrients. Regular consumption can contribute to weight gain and other health issues. DON’T BUY IT - OR LIMIT IT.
Sugary drinks: Beverages like soda, fruit drinks, and energy drinks are high in sugar and can contribute to weight gain, tooth decay, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. DON’T BUT IT - OR LIMIT IT AS A TREAT - EVEN BOTTLED JUICE! …TRY AND SWITCH TO SPARKING WATER / WATER / OR WATER DOWN JUICE.
a standard 250ml can of V energy drink typically contains around 27-30 grams of sugar (4 teaspoons)
a standard 355 ml can of Coca-Cola contains approximately 39 grams of sugar (5 teaspoons)
Candy and sweets: These foods are high in sugar and calories and offer little to no nutritional value. They can contribute to weight gain and dental cavities. A TREAT.
Processed snacks: Packaged snacks like chips, cookies, and crackers are often high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and salt, and low in essential nutrients. CHECK THE INGREDIENTS.
Fried foods: Foods that are deep-fried or fried in unhealthy oils are high in unhealthy fats and can contribute to weight gain and other health issues. THE HIGHEST CALORIES OF ALL…LIMIT IT.
Sweetened breakfast cereals: Many breakfast cereals are high in sugar and low in fiber and other nutrients. Choosing a healthier breakfast option can help set a positive tone for the rest of the day. FULL OF SUGAR!…LIMIT IT.
Frozen meals and prepackaged foods: These foods are often high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and salt, and low in essential nutrients. They can contribute to poor health outcomes if consumed regularly. THEY ARE CHEAP, QUICK AND EASY FOR A REASON…CHECK THE INGREDIENTS.
It's important to note that these foods can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. However, regular consumption of these foods can lead to health issues. Encouraging kids to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help promote their overall health and well-being.
If your kids are eating the majority of this list above, then we are not giving them the best in life.
FUN FACT: Sugar starts the addition process in our body, for life!
How to change what my kids eat?
Here’s a few real-life examples of how LOVE FOOD approaches the fussiest of eaters!
We have experimented with our own kids and with the thousands of kids we have had the pleasure of serving and influencing (and sometimes entertaining) with food in our partner daycare centres and primary schools.
There are a few principles we live by with food and children - which is not always easy some days.
We start with the end result in mind - EATING SOMETHING NEW or BETTER FOR YOU.
We start knowing we will never give in - NO WAY, EVER!
We start knowing we will never compromise on a bad meal - NO WAY, EVER!
We have a ‘whatever it takes’ approach to engage and entertain - YES, embrace your wiggly-self!
We watch the room, but always adjust for each child - ADAPT and CONQUER!
Fun In The Kitchen #1
MAKE IT ENTERTAINING…be a Wiggle!
We sing, dance & play with animation with our mini-me …. so put joy into your mood & the food will come to life for your little one.
Don’t just think about eating…think about entertaining.
Tone of voice
Engaging with the making
Turn it into a fun game
Fun In The Kitchen #2
COLOUR THE PLATE…like a rainbow!
We eat first with our eyes & so does your little one.
Look at the plate…. Does it look inviting? Is there colour, is there familiar foods, is there something new?
Under 5’s can be very fussy eaters…the majority of the time this comes from the influence of others (a role model, teacher, parent, sibling, friend)
Triggers can cause the ’push away the plate’ action, with a refusal pout!
Look at the plate by…
Texture - new & familiar
Taste - simple & complex
Presentation - colour & more colours
Smell - simple & not overwhelming
it all starts with the energy we put into it….have fun!
Fun In The Kitchen #3
NEGOTIATE EVERYTHING…the magic cracker!
The art of negotiating goes a long way at meal time.
I use the ‘Magic Cracker’ in our partner daycare centres, where we are the food provider.
“If you finish your bowl of food, you get a magic cracker!”
What is the magic cracker???
It’s just a simple a rice craker…but now its ‘magic!’.
if they don’t finish, they don’t get the cracker this time, if they do they get rewarded.
The ‘magic’ works every time!
And the the first time, if a child doesn’t eat all their food, they actually don’t get a magic cracker that day.
But you watch…
The next day it’s all gone!
Goodluck.
We LOVE FOOD and we LOVE helping people LOVE their FOOD!
Reach out to us, if you need help with your childs eating - or just some tips to help refresh your approach!
