Keeping things balanced is crucial to supporting wellbeing and kids learning to like new foods..
 
Offering kids nutritionally balanced meals and snacks is important for their general health, development and well-being.
But, we know that right? It’s all too easy though, for parents to get caught in the rut of offering kids the same foods most of the time. Often the foods they know their kids will eat, foods they know their kids won’t refuse, and won’t kick up a fuss about being served. But, this doesn't necessarily serve kids well in the long run.

Keeping the meals and snacks you offer kids balanced is more than just providing all of the food groups and a wide variety of nutrients to your child. Balanced meals and snacks for kids is also about offering a fine balance between foods your child knows, accepts, likes, and will eat and foods which your child not-yet-likes or foods you expect they will leave on their plate.
 
Many parents would like more guidance on what foods make balanced nutrition…understandable. But, did you know that more parents feel they have a fair idea of what foods to serve their kids, but just don’t know how to go about getting their kids to eat these foods?

Knowledge is only powerful if you have actionable steps for implementing this knowledge to make a difference. Knowing what nutritious foods to feed kids, is not powerful if you do not know how to support kids in eating a wide variety of these nutritious foods.

Only 1/3 of parents are confident in the way they’re feeding their children. So, despite many parents having a fair idea of what foods their child should be eating, they are struggling with confidence in how to go about getting their kids to eat these foods.

• Offer foods from all food groups every day (meat/meat alternative, dairy/dairy alternative, fruit, vegetables, whole grains).
  • Kids need the nutrients provided in every food group every day. They need several serves of each food group every day to gain all of the nutrients needed for optimal health, development and well-being. (I wont go into how much of each food group is required here – let me know if you would like more info on this, or visit www.eatforhealth.com.au for some great general guidance on this.)

• Offer a variety of foods from within each food group every day
  • Variety of foods is important for gaining a wide variety of nutrients we need to be well. Ideally we want our kids to learn to like a wide variety of nutritious foods. Kids need to learn to like new foods, and parents play the vital role of supporting this learning. There are several important factors involved in best supporting this learning (which I guide through in the Nourishing Children- Coaching Package), one of which is to keep exposing kids to a wide variety of foods, even if they don’t-yet-like the food. Getting caught in the trap of only serving up the same foods you know your little likes and will eat, doesn’t support them in learning to like new and not-yet-liked foods.  It is also common for parents to simply be in a rut of buying, cooking and serving the same foods each and every week without introducing much variety or new foods on a regular basis. If your child isn’t served up a wide variety of foods, they are not being exposed to a wide variety of nutrients or not getting the opportunity to learn to like new foods.

 
Offering your children balanced nutrition at each and every meal and snack is one very effective way to support improved eating behaviour in your child.

A general rule of thumb is to offer 4-5 food groups at meals, and 2+ food groups at snacks.

• As an example:
  •  Instead of offering only fruit at morning tea...try offering fruit & nuts, or fruit & wholegrain crackers with dip, or fruit & peanut butter on celery, or fruit, veggies & yoghurt, or fruit, nuts & cheese etc.

• Each eating time is an opportunity to expose your child to a nutritious food they don’t-yet-like to support their learning of new foods. This is important even if you expect they will not eat the new food at this particular meal/snack. Simply having your child exposed to the new food (in a positive environment), builds their confidence, comfort, the chances of them touching, tasting and learning to like the food over time with repeated exposure.
  • For example, if the only fruit your child asks for or says they like is apples, it is recommended you still serve them up a variety of other fruits too. If you don’t keep exposing them and serving them up, it is almost impossible for them to become comfortable with and learn how to like these foods.
• Not only do parents often serve only their child’s liked foods, but it is also common for them to get caught in the trap of only serving the foods that they themselves like.

 
Offering your children a balance of new and already liked foods at most meals and snacks is one very effective way to support improved eating behaviour in your child.

A general rule is to include 1 new or not-yet-liked food along with 1+ already accepted and liked ‘safe’ food (‘food friend’) at most meals and snacks.

• Always bring a food-friend to the table. It is not recommended to serve up only foods your child doesn’t like. If there is a food-friend on their plate, your child will be more comfortable with the new/not-yet-liked foods being there and will therefore be better supported to learn to like these foods over time.
• As an example:
  • If your child only likes carrots and plain pasta. It isn’t recommended to serve only carrots and plain pasta OR to serve only broccoli, peas and pasta mixed with pasta sauce. Ideally, you could serve, plain pasta with the sauce on the side, along with carrots and broccoli.

So offering both, a balance of nutrition (food groups) and liked/not-yet-liked foods at each meal/snack, provides an opportunity for your child to eat a wide variety of nutrients, but also learn to like a wider variety of nutritious foods.

If this all seems like a challenge to plan for and implement, then I strongly recommend you get on the wait-list for my FINISH FUSSY EATING online course.


Alysha

We should all aim to eat a rainbow every day (and no, I’m not talking about skittles and m&ms!).  A variety of colourful fruit and vegetables will bring us a rainbow of colour and nutrients. To optimise health and help prevent chronic disease, we need to eat 5 serves of veggies and 2 fruits every day!
Each fruit and vegetable’s vibrant colour, taste and aroma is caused by specific phytochemicals produced by the plant to help protect the plant from things such as insect attack or the sun's UV radiation.  Although phytonutrients are not essential for us to survive (un-like vitamins, minerals, protein etc), they do provide significant benefits for humans who eat these plant foods. All colourful fruits and vegetables have these nutrient powerhouses, as do legumes, nuts, tea, wholegrains and many spices. Each colour brings the food it’s own distinctive variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients our body needs to thrive. Diets full of a variety of phytonutrient-rich plant foods have shown to be effective at reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancers and promoting longevity. There are more than 25,000 phytonutrients (and i'm sure many which are yet to be found), of which some groups are of particular interest.
It is easy to fall into the habit of buying, cooking and eating the same limited variety of fruits and vegetable that you and your family like, but eating enough plant foods is important, and a wide variety is the key as most people fall short in most colour categories of phytonutrients.


RED fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals, including lycopene, anthocyanins and ellagic acid which have been studied and linked with reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke, age-related vision impairment, preventing certain cancers. Lycopene in particular, found in highest concentrations in watermelon and cooked tomatoes, is known to help prevent prostate cancer. Ellagic acid, in raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, cranberries, grapes, pomegranates and even walnuts, is also a potent antioxidant associated with anti-cancer activity, may also help to reduce blood pressure and build-up of plaque in the arteries and slow glucose absorption in the gut.

• Capsicum
• Tomatoes
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Watermelon
• Apples
• Cranberries
• Cherries
• Grapes
• Red onions
• Pomegranate
• Beets

 
ORANGE AND YELLOW foods are full of carotenoids such as beta-caotene, beta-cryptoxanthin and lutein which are also strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients. These foods have been associated with improving immune function, preventing various cancers and heart disease, promoting healthy joints, skin and eye health and vision (yes, it is true that carrots can help with your eye-sight!).

• Oranges
• Grapefruit
• Lemons
• Mangoes
• Papayas
• Carrots
• Sweet potatoes
• Pumpkin
• Squash
• Corn
• Cantaloupe
• Orange and yellow capsicum
• Golden beets
• Pineapple
• Peaches
• Tumeric

 
GREEN fruits and vegetables are rich in phytonutrients and chlorophyll which is loaded with antioxidants that promote well-being. Green fruits and vegetables are one of healthiest foods we can eat and are rich in lutein, zeaxanthin, isoflavones and many other phytonutrients.
Green plants have been linked with reducing risk of several cancers, blood vessel damage, heart disease, boosting the immune system and energy levels. The consumption of flavonoids, of which some are in green plant foods, is significantly associated with longevity.

• Broccoli
• Kale
• Romaine lettuce
• Collard greens
• Brussels sprouts
• Green grapes
• Green apples
• Asparagus
• Spinach
• Swiss chard
• Arugula
• Green beans
• Peas
• Zucchini
• Kiwi fruit
• Avocado
• Edamame

 
 BLUE AND PURPLE fruits and vegetables are rich in the phytonutrients anthocyanins and resveratrol, and have been studied extensively for their anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. These work to repair damage from oxidative stress and inflammation and reduce the risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease. Reversatrol may also protect brain function and slow cognitive decline and is being studied as a possible treatment for type-2 diabetes.. Large concentrations of reversatrol are found in red wine which may explain the health benefits associated with red wine consumption. The skin of grapes are also a great source as well as grape juice, blueberries and cranberries and even peanuts and cocoa.

• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Red/purple grapes
• Red/purple cabbage
• Eggplant
• Plums
• Prunes
• Figs

WHITE AND BROWN produce may not be as brightly colored as other foods, and technically not a colour of the rainbow, but they still have phytonutrients and many health benefits. With anthoxanthins and phytonutrients allicin and quercetin they have been associated with protecting against certain cancers, heart conditions, high cholesterol, inflammation and helping to keep bones strong.

• Cauliflower
• Garlic
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Potatoes
• Parsnips

 
I need to clarify here that these phytonutrients in their whole-food form (ie eating them in a real food) have shown to be beneficial, however taking these in supplement form has not shown the same benefit and isn’t recommended as they may increase the risk of some health complications.
 
The only way to increase the intake of phytonutrients is to eat more plant foods and include a varied array of colours to reap all of their benefits! Try cooking with a wider range of vegetables, add more into the foods you regularly eat and try new recipes and develop an appreciation for new foods.
Of course, eating a rainbow is harder for kids who are still learning to like veggies! Always expose children to as many different nutritious foods as possible. Don’t give up if they refuse the new vegetable the first, second, third or even fourth time theyre offered it. It can take around 20 times of being exposed to a new food before children learn to accept it. They may start by flicking it off the plate, then being okay with it there, then poking or picking it up, then licking it or tasting and spitting it out. Eventually, with repeated exposure and no pressure to eat it, they will learn to accept it – especially if they see other family members/parents eating it!
Other types of exposure to vegetables will also help kids be more curious about them, reduce anxiety around eating them and make them more likely to try them, accept and even like them! Reading about them, looking at and talking about them in the supermarket, helping to grow,  prepare and cook them, and especially seeing them on the plate every day helps.
Even colouring them in may help, so download the ‘Eat a Vegetable Rainbow’ colouring page here and lettuce see your little one’s best colouring! There will be winners announced in March 2020, but feel free to colour the page anytime!
 
Alysha