The key to holiday feasting and eating
With the festive season approaching, you may be wondering how to
help your child eat a healthy diet despite being offered sweets, chocolates, cakes,
soft drinks and fried food and snacks. The answer is simple. Moderation.
Be realistic
You should allow your child to experience and enjoy the festivities
and the special food that is usually so integral to the occasion. So do not be overly
strict. Prevent over eating by guiding your child about portion size and frequency.
Encourage him to space out the goodies. For example, if he wants to have a soft
drink, suggest that he has only half a serving or if he wants the whole serve, he
has to forgo the sweets or cakes. Emphasise that there is always tomorrow. He can
have some more then. You will also be teaching him self control and delaying of
gratification which is part of emotional maturity.
Do not leave home hungry
Feed your child a light and healthy meal before going visiting.
This can be a wholemeal cheese or peanut butter sandwich or a banana with a glass
of milk. This will reduce the desire to eat too much fatty and / or sugary food
later.
Negotiate before hand
Talk to your child about eating healthy and making right food choices.
Negotiate amounts that are acceptable from the beginning. This will help prevent
any disputes, especially while visiting.
Make it a healthy occasion
• Limit the fried foods
• Leave the rich gravies behind
• Enjoy small amounts of high fat and sugar food e.g. pinapple tarts, cookies, chips,
fried snacks, coconut or buttered rice, fatty roasted or barbequed meat.
• Choose plain jellies, fresh fruit low fat starches like plain rice, ketupat, French
loaf, soupy noodles.
Set a good example
It is pointless telling your child to eat moderately if you eat
with no restrain. Go easy on high calorie food yourself too. Approach the buffet
table together, choose food together, practise moderation together.
Stress health not looks
Explain to your child the reasons of eating a healthy diet. It is to prevent health
problems. Do not use particular body parts going out of shape as examples to scare
your child, e.g. "your thighs will be fat".
Do remember to enjoy the festive seasons, eat and be merry with health in mind.