What are some of the different ways we can communicate with families about their baby or toddlers food and drink intake throughout the day?

Whether you have a toddler or a teen, here are five of the best strategies to improve nutrition and encourage smart eating habits:

1. Have regular family meals.
2. Serve a variety of healthy foods and snacks.
3. Be a role model by eating healthy yourself.
4. Avoid battles over food.
5. Involve kids in the process.

Sure, eating well can be hard — family schedules are hectic and grab-and-go convenience food is readily available. But our tips can help make all five strategies part of your busy household.

Family Meals

Family meals are a comforting ritual for both parents and kids. Children like the predictability of family meals and parents get a chance to catch up with their kids. Kids who take part in regular family meals are also:

• more likely to eat fruits, vegetables, and grains
• less likely to snack on unhealthy foods
• less likely to smoke, use marijuana, or drink alcohol

Also, family meals are a chance for parents to introduce kids to new foods and to be role models for healthy eating.

Teens may turn up their noses at the prospect of a family meal — not surprising because they're busy and want to be more independent. Yet studies find that teens still want their parents' advice and counsel, so use mealtime as a chance to reconnect.

You might also try these tips:

• Let kids invite a friend to dinner.
• Involve your child in meal planning and preparation.
• Keep mealtime calm and friendly — no lectures or arguing.

What counts as a family meal? Whenever you and your family eat together — whether it's takeout food or a home-cooked meal with all the trimmings. Strive for nutritious food and a time when everyone can be there. This may mean eating dinner a little later to accommodate a teen who's at sports practice. It also can mean setting aside time on the weekends when it may be more convenient to gather as a group, such as for Sunday brunch.

Stock Up on Healthy Foods

Kids, especially younger ones, will eat mostly what's available at home. That's why it's important to control the supply lines — the foods that you serve for meals and have on hand for snacks.

Follow these basic guidelines:

• Work fruits and vegetables into the daily routine, aiming for the goal of at least five servings a day. Be sure you serve fruit or vegetables at every meal.
• Make it easy for kids to choose healthy snacks by keeping fruits and vegetables on hand and ready to eat. Other good snacks include low-fat yogurt, peanut butter and celery, or whole-grain crackers and cheese.
• Serve lean meats and other good sources of protein, such as fish, eggs, beans, and nuts.
• Choose whole-grain breads and cereals so kids get more fiber.
• Limit fat intake by avoiding fried foods and choosing healthier cooking methods, such as broiling, grilling, roasting, and steaming. Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy products.
• Limit fast food and low-nutrient snacks, such as chips and candy. But don't completely ban favorite snacks from your home. Instead, make them "once-in-a-while" foods, so kids don't feel deprived.
• Limit sugary drinks, such as soda and fruit-flavored drinks. Serve water and low-fat milk instead.

Be a Role Model

The best way for you to encourage healthy eating is to eat well yourself. Kids will follow the lead of the adults they see every day. By eating fruits and vegetables and not overindulging in the less nutritious stuff, you'll be sending the right message.

Another way to be a good role model is to serve appropriate portions and not overeat. Talk about your feelings of fullness, especially with younger children. You might say, "This is delicious, but I'm full, so I'm going to stop eating." Similarly, parents who are always dieting or complaining about their bodies may foster these same negative feelings in their kids. Try to keep a positive approach about food.

Don't Battle Over Food

It's easy for food to become a source of conflict. Well-intentioned parents might find themselves bargaining or bribing kids so they eat the healthy food in front of them. A better strategy is to give kids some control, but to also limit the kind of foods available at home.

Kids should decide if they're hungry, what they will eat from the foods served, and when they're full. Parents control which foods are available to their kids, both at mealtime and between meals. Here are some guidelines to follow:

• Establish a predictable schedule of meals and snacks. It's OK to choose not to eat when both parents and kids know when to expect the next meal or snack.
• Don't force kids to clean their plates. Doing so teaches kids to override feelings of fullness.
• Don't bribe or reward kids with food. Avoid using dessert as the prize for eating the meal.
• Don't use food as a way of showing love. When you want to show love, give kids a hug, some of your time, or praise.

Most kids will enjoy deciding what to make for dinner. Talk to them about making choices and planning a balanced meal. Some might even want to help shop for ingredients and prepare the meal. At the store, teach kids to check out food labels to begin understanding what to look for.

In the kitchen, select age-appropriate tasks so kids can play a part without getting injured or feeling overwhelmed. And at the end of the meal, don't forget to praise the chef.

School lunches can be another learning lesson for kids. More important, if you can get them thinking about what they eat for lunch, you might be able to help them make positive changes. Brainstorm about what kinds of foods they'd like for lunch or go to the grocery store to shop together for healthy, packable foods.

There's another important reason why kids should be involved: It can help prepare them to make good decisions on their own about the foods they want to eat. That's not to say they'll suddenly want a salad instead of french fries, but the mealtime habits you help create now can lead to a lifetime of healthier choices.

Check out some healthy recipes for kids of all ages.

Types of childcare

There are many types of childcare options available for children including:

• Long day childcare centres (LDCCC)
• Occasional care and preschool
• Family day care
• Extended family care (especially grandparents)
• Out of school hours care.

More than 50,000 children in Victoria attend long day care on a part-time or full-time basis. Long day care is defined as spending at least eight hours a day in childcare.

Guidelines for nutrition and health standards

The Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) provides national guidelines for childcare, which cover all areas of care. These guidelines contain information on all aspects of quality childcare including standards of discipline, hygiene, programming, communication, food and nutrition.

Some of the issues covered include:

• Respect – show respect for all children
• Environment – provide a pleasant, culturally appropriate atmosphere for children at mealtimes that encourages social interaction and learning
• Culture – provide culturally appropriate meals, food and drink for children
• Nutrition – promote healthy eating and good food habits
• Hygiene – have staff trained in correct food handling and hygiene.

Nutrition

Food provided in childcare has an important role to play in the growth and development of children and in the development of future eating habits. In long day childcare centres, menus should aim to meet a significant amount of a child’s daily nutrition requirements. A variety of foods such as vegetables, fruits, cereals, lean meat, fish, chicken, milks, yoghurts and cheeses should be provided to children in care, including a range of textures and tastes, appropriate to the developmental stages of different age groups.
 

Children are also encouraged to drink water and milk throughout the day. Other sweet drinks such as juices and cordials are not necessary. Sweet foods such as cakes, biscuits, lollies, and chocolates should not be served on a regular basis in childcare. Individual centres may have a policy on the availability of sweet foods and other treats. 

Breastfeeding

Childcare services have a responsibility to offer opportunities and support to families to continue to provide breast milk for children in their care. Childcare services can provide support by developing and implementing clear policies and procedures for storage and provision of expressed breast milk for children in their care. Policies for safe storage and provision of infant formulas are also required.

Meals and snacks

Mealtime arrangements can vary. Some centres provide all meals and snacks, while other centres ask families to provide meals for their own children. Long day childcare centres must provide a minimum of one meal and two snacks each day. Often this will be morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. Some centres also serve breakfast. Even when they don’t provide meals, childcare staff can encourage and support families to provide healthy meals for their children whilst in care.

Mealtimes should be relaxed and supervised

The mealtime atmosphere and the attitude and behaviour of childcare workers is important to the development of healthy eating practices. Children should be relaxed and happy when they are eating. Meals are often shared with carers and other children. Childcare workers should develop and encourage healthy eating patterns and positive attitudes to food and also supervise children’s eating. Children learn from others about food preferences and how to eat. Safety at mealtimes is important. 

Other important points:

• Food should be an appropriate size and texture for the age and ability of the child so they can easily chew and swallow their food.
• Nuts and other hard foods that are difficult for young children to chew should be avoided.
• Children should not be force-fed.
• Children should be seated quietly at mealtimes.

Food hygiene is essential

Careful preparation of food and correct food handling techniques are important. Childcare centres must observe the following principles:

• Regular training for all cooks and staff in safe food storage, preparation and handling of food
• Safe food handling by children and staff, including sharing of food for example when fruit platters are shared
• Adequate hand washing by staff and children
• Safe use of microwave ovens for heating food and drinks.

Food regulations and preschools

Local council health departments can provide help and advice regarding food safety in childcare centres. In Victoria, the requirements of the Food Act 1984 do not apply to preschools where parents or carers bring food to the preschool.

Whenyour child takes fruit or vegetables for morning tea or takes their own lunch, the preschool is not subject to the Food Act requirements, even if the preschool staff or parents cut up the fruit and vegetables and place them on a platter to be shared. However, everyone should follow the basic hygiene rules of hand washing.

A childcare centre nutrition policy should provide guidelines for all aspects of meal preparation and service to cooks, staff and parents. In centres that offer meals, menus are on display to give parents the opportunity to provide feedback.

Special diets

Some children have other special dietary requirements due to food allergies, cultural background or medical conditions. Childcare services work together with families to ensure the specific needs of individual children are met.

Food allergies

On rare occasions, for example, a life-threatening situation for a child with a severe food allergy can occur within a childcare setting. Many centres have a food allergy policy in order to limit the risk associated with severe food allergy reactions. Childcare staff should be made aware of your child’s food allergies and food intolerance.

Dental health

Children who consume high-sugar foods and drinks risk tooth decay. Around 50 per cent of all primary school children seen by the School Dental Service in Victoria have signs of dental decay. Nutrition policies in childcare centres should include dental health guidelines. Supervised teeth brushing programs in childcare have been shown to reduce tooth decay.

Key principles should include:

• Baby feeding bottles should not contain sweet drinks.
• Baby feeding bottles should not be used to settle children at rest times.
• Sugary snacks should be limited.
• Children should not get sweet foods as a reward for good behaviour.
• Teeth brushing should be encouraged after meals.

Where to get help

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:

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