Do you find getting kids to eat healthy foods to be a challenge? My daughter is pretty open to all foods, but sometimes she throws me a curve ball.
So the kiddo and I went grocery shopping Saturday night with the main objective of getting stuff for her lunchbox. This is the first school year she’s consistently brought her lunch and I’ve taken pride in packing a nice meal. It makes me feel like I’m send her off with love, which is why I do it for her, even though I know she could totally make her own lunch at 13.
I sent her off with her own cart to pick out some stuff for her lunch while I picked up a few other things we needed. This was a big mistake. She came back with a cart filled with chicken patties, baker bread, pizza rolls, iced cookies, Nutter Butters, chips, dip, soda, marshmallows, chocolate and more.
And then we began the grocery store battle.
I said no to most of it, but she still got out of there with more junk than I would have liked.
Chips and dip, Bagel Bites, granola bars, baker bread and chicken patties.
Nothing too outrageous.
Just not the bounty of healthiness I envisioned.
I’m changing the way we’re eating and it’s stressing her out. Change is hard for her. Plus, she has food issues resulting from years of neglect before I became her mom.
On top of that, she’s stressed out about exams at school. Food is her security in times of stress. She’s come along way in that area, but will probably struggle her whole life to some degree – as do I.
Yeah, there are those that say, “You’re the parent. You decide what food goes into the home.”
But I think food is deeply personal, especially when their emotional eating issues tied to it.
She’s 13. She deserves to have some control over what she eats.
So we packed her lunch together this morning. A chicken patty on a bun. A granola bar. Grapes. One serving of Pringles that she carefully counted out herself. Water.
It’s not a lunch I’m proud to send her off with, but I know it could be way worse.
Now I’m sipping my homemade green juice (kale, grapefruit, orange, 1/2 a banana, water) because I have to take care of me, even when she’s resistant.
What are your tips for getting kids to eat healthy foods?
I don’t have kids, so I’m no help there! I think giving her some control over her food is far healthier than being rigid about her choices. Girls, especially at her age, are so prone to disordered eating (if not full blown eating disorders), and I think if you can slowly but surely help her make healthier choices, you’re giving her something that will serve her well for a lifetime. Baby steps.
Yes, and I’ve read studies that girls who have been in foster care are even more likely to develop eating disorders because of the control factor, so it’s a definite concern.
I really just want to address this because I’m dealing with this on multiple levels. Food is a very personal beast. While sometimes it’s true that you have to just decide for them, kids usually don’t learn what they should eat or shouldn’t eat if they aren’t made aware of what could happen or how it makes them feel if they do eat it. I have the added bonus of having food allergies (to a super healthy food) that happens to be in most everything. So describing what happens to his little body when he eats these things has really helped him to determine whether or not he wants to eat them.
When I allow the kiddo to pick out his snacks, I agree he should have some control over what he gets to eat, which is why I allow one drink treat and one food treat a month. In meals, the division of portions is 1/2 veggie, 1/4 meal (sandwich, soup, mac n cheese– GF) then usually fruit with half a cookie or something he can choose how he eats it but at least all the veggie or all the fruit must be eaten before being done.
Sounds like your kiddo is getting a great balance! I’m feeling him on the food allergy. I’m still splotchy and itchy.