Mealtimes are about so much more than eating food! Early food and eating experiences form the foundation for lifelong attitudes about food, eating behavior, and food habits. A positive and supportive eating environment is important for helping children establish all of these things in a healthy way.
�There are many learning opportunities that can be maximized at meal times.
�Ensuring the logistics around mealtime are developmentally appropriate will help children stay engaged and further maximize the learning opportunities. Mealtime offers you time to engage in true serve and return conversations rather than just instructional directions, although there’s a lot of opportunity for that too, and it supports children in having real conversions with one another as well.
�If you have difficulty thinking of conversation starters in the moment, plan a few in advance, create a little question jar for the table, and include the children in crafting those questions. We also want to encourage all child care providers to remain neutral about food. Please refrain from using food as a reward, even as a reward for eating other foods. Instead of bribing a child to eat, focus on using descriptors and providing unpressured support, as well as, multiple exposures.
�Encouraging children to learn about and accept food on their own terms leads to children who are curious about new foods and willing to try them in other situations. Using food rewards works in the short term but sets them up to need them in the future. It can also lead to overeating and other disordered eating behaviors rather than a healthy relationship with food.
�Reducing stress for yourself at mealtime will help you stay emotionally regulated and in turn will help the children stay emotionally regulated.
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