Learning what to eat when and how much of it, at a young age is beneficial throughout life.
It isn't the peer pressure that you might be thinking. No one is double dog daring your child to eat the "Man vs. Food" portion sized meal at the cafeteria, or entire cake at whoever's birthday party it may be. Peer pressure is put on by society, we face it everyday we go out to eat, and are taken away from our healthy meal routines at home. Much of life revolves around eating, so you want to be sure that your child is equipped to make healthy choices when you're not right there. The older a child gets, the more meals and snacks take place outside the home — from school to sleepovers to parties. As kids grow up and gain more independence, outings with friends often include eating in restaurants. Peer pressure, a social reality that affects many areas of life, can easily influence a child's food preferences and selections in each of these situations.
It Starts At Home
Habits formed at home will follow your child out the door. While studies have shown that peer influences are associated with kids' eating patterns, it is known that behaviors modeled by family members are a powerful force as well. A review article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition notes that parents have the opportunity to model positive or negative eating habits, and that this can impact children's choices in any setting. Finding a healthy balance at home is important. Dolores Becker, RD, LDN, a dietitian at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, works in the eating disorders program and cautions parents to avoid being overly strict, as this may lead to unhealthy obsessions with food or a distorted body image.
Healthy Choices at Restaurants
Extravagant portion sizes present a challenge for health-minded kids who are eating out with their friends. "I don't see kids ordering huge portions, but ordering what is available which happens to be large portions. Then they eat or drink it all without attention to hunger and fullness signals," says Becker. Help children and teens practice mindful eating by encouraging them to eat at a slower pace and heed the internal cues that the body sends to let them know they are full. Tell them that cleaning their plate is not always necessary. Help them pick healthy options when you go out as a family.
Confidence Under Scrutiny
Friends and even family members may pose awkward questions — such as, "Are you on a diet?" — when kids make different food choices than their peers, or they may tease them for things including drinking water instead of soda at social gatherings. Kids with a strong sense of self-esteem will be more confident in their actions. Encourage them to open up to you regarding their feelings about conversations they've had regarding choices that have gone against the norm. Praise them for good decisions. Suggest that they explain that they do eat "sometimes" foods, but that they also want to make healthy choices as often as possible.
So Many Options!
School, visits with friends and "special occasions" are ever-present opportunities for kids to...
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