“What we learn as children affects our choices as adults,” said
Karen Mohn, RD, LDN, Community Wellness Coordinator/Dietitian at
CalvertHealth Medical Center. “Habits learned at a young age are hard
to break, so parents should start modeling healthy eating when children
are very young.”
In 2011, the food pyramid that had guided a generation on the components of a healthy
diet evolved into “ChooseMyPlate,” with half devoted to fruits and vegetables, one quarter
each of grains and proteins, with a small side of dairy. The goal of the dietary guidelines
is to emphasize that the choices we make every day matter to our health. To get helpful
tips and for more resources, go to:
www.choosemyplate.gov.
What Makes Up a Healthy Diet
“Young children shouldn’t be ‘dieting,’” said Mohn. They shouldn’t be ‘on’ a diet as
if it is a temporary thing, either. Think of a diet as ‘what you eat’ instead of being
restrictive. Children should have a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains,
proteins and dairy products.
Children should not have a diet where the majority of the foods they consume are
processed foods, foods with empty calories, foods with added sugar and salt and highsugar
sodas and fruit juices.
“Added salt and sugar, in the extent
it’s added to processed foods, is not
needed in order to develop, physically
or mentally, and it may be detrimental.
Having a diet high in salt and sugar at a
young age may contribute to obesity
and other chronic diseases as adults,”
said Mohn.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Offer a variety of foods and keep
offering them. Just because a child
didn’t like something at one time
doesn’t mean they are never going
to like it. Or, try offering food in
different formats—raw, steamed,
roasted, etc.
- Your child may not want to try new
foods. When introducing children
to new foods let your kids try small
portions of new foods you enjoy.
Go Grocery Shopping with Facts
With so much emphasis on ingredients
and reading labels, it can be confusing
and time-consuming for parents to choose
healthy options for their children.
“Fill up your cart with items that
have no labeling—fruits, vegetables, lean
meats. If it has a nutrition label, you need
to read it and understand it,” said Mohn.
If packaging claims the product
is “low fat,” that doesn’t mean it isn’t
loaded with simple carbohydrates, added
sugars and salt. If packaging claims, “no
added sugar” it might still be sweetened
with high-fructose corn syrup or other
sweeteners.
“If food manufacturers take out one
thing, they are typically adding more of
something else to make their products
tasty,” said Mohn.
- Let your kids be “produce
pickers.” Let them pick out fruits
and veggies at the store.
- Have your child help you prepare
meals. Children learn about food
and get excited about tasting food
when they help make meals. Let
them add ingredients, scrub veggies
or help stir.
Plan, Prioritize and Model Mealtime
The biggest stumbling blocks to a
nutritious diet are planning, prioritizing
and modeling healthy eating. Meal
planning or a food-prep day are great ways
to make sure your children have access
to healthy meals. For on-the-go families,
planning ahead can also mean keeping
a small cooler ready with snacks to help
tide children over until you can get home
to prepare a sit-down, nutritious meal
for the family. “It doesn’t have to be more
expensive to eat healthy if you shop wisely
and meal plan,” said Mohn.
- Offer choices. Rather than ask, “Do
you want broccoli for dinner?” ask
“Which would you like for dinner,
broccoli or cauliflower?”
- Offer the same foods for the whole
family. Serve the same meal to adults
and kids. Let them see you enjoy
healthy foods. Talk about the colors,
shapes and textures on the plate.
Pediatricians, primary
care physicians, cardiologists,
oncologists, dermatologists and
endocrinologists already know
nutrition guidelines help prevent
or treat most chronic diseases
including heart disease and
diabetes—if families adopt a
healthy diet, they will lessen the
risks of ever developing chronic
diseases.
Talk to your pediatrician
to learn more about how to
provide a nutritional diet for
your child at every stage of their
development. For more information
on nutritional guidelines, visit
ChooseMyPlate.com. For hands-on
help in understanding nutrition
and meal planning, check out
health and wellness classes and
events through the CalvertHealth
Community Wellness Department at
CalvertHealthMedicine.org/Classes.