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The 10 Commandments of Healthy Eating for Parents

It's as Simple as Counting to Ten!
-- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian

  1. Thou shalt not force, bribe or coerce thy child to eat.
  2. Thou shalt set a good example by eating at least five fruits and vegetables, three whole grain products, and three dairy servings per day thyself.
  3. Thou shalt make mealtimes pleasant.
  4. Thou shalt encourage thy child to help in meal planning, preparation, and cleanup.
  5. Thou shalt back off when mealtime becomes a power struggle.
  6. Thou shalt accept food "binges" as phases that will eventually pass.
  7. Thou shalt accept the fact that thy child is an individual and thus will dislike certain foods (and there may be many!).
  8. Thou shalt not give up on introducing thy child to new foods. Thou shalt realize it sometimes takes ten tries to get a child to accept a food.
  9. Thou shalt use this division of responsibility for eating: As the parent, thou art responsible for deciding when and what to serve. Thy child is responsible for deciding how much (if any) will be eaten.
  10. Thou shalt give thy child a multivitamin-mineral supplement if he is a picky eater.

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Member Comments About this Article
"Great commandments and the wording helps you laugh. Which sometimes at mealtime you're ready to scream instead of laughing." -- BKCWJZY
"I love the 2nd to the last one because ive seen my dad and stepmom constantly ask my much younger brother what he wants to eat and he will say and then change his mind and whine. This is probably because he is 2 but sometimes i think he runs the house!" -- VQJOHNSTON
"It is a pretty good set of guidelines to follow, especially the last one. We do a multi-vitamin daily anyways because some days my kids don't end up eating as much food as another day or not as nutritiously as they should (like when they've been to Grandma's). However, we have to get more creative when it comes to the calcium and protein department because neither myself or my 2 older kids can have milk products due to an allergy to the proteins found in them (casein and whey). My 3rd child i..." -- RUNMAMARUN26.2
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About The Author
Becky Hand
Becky is a registered and licensed dietitian with almost 20 years of experience. She teaches prenatal classes and counsels individuals, helping women eat right and stay fit before, during and after their pregnancies.
Becky Hand

 


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