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1. Tips from Ellyn Satter on strategies to get kids to eat vegetables

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1. Tips from Ellyn Satter on strategies to get kids to eat vegetables

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"Eventually, if you eat them, your child will learn to eat them, too."
Feeders can set a positive example for children by making sure they are consuming vegetables and expressing a love of vegetables, because when children see their feeders eating vegetables, they are more likely to eat them.

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The child who doesn't eat fruits and vegetables

Parents consider vegetables and fruits tremendously important and feel they have to get their children to eat them. As a result, many children don't eat vegetables; others don't eat fruits. Still others don't eat either. Settle down! Your child will not experience nutritional catastrophe if he doesn't eat them. If he gets sick, it is from something else.

Relax and enjoy your own fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables carry the same nutrients, so you and your child can be well-nourished on either.

Eventually, if you eat them, your child will learn to eat them, too.

Tone down strong vegetable flavors with salt, fat, sauces, bread crumbs, herbs and spices.

Tone down fruit textures by making sauces, desserts, using canned rather than fresh.

Pressure doesn't work - ever

Your child sees though even sneaky pressure such as bribes, cheer-leading, and your acting like you love them.

He assumes, "if they have to do all that to get me to eat it, it can't be good."

What works is minding your own business. Eat and enjoy your own vegetables. Your child assumes, "someday I will eat them too."

How to parent so your child eats fruits and vegetables

Follow the division of responsibility in feeding. Do your jobs with feeding and let your child do his with eating.

Get started with family meals, if you aren't having them already.

Observe how your child learns to eat unfamiliar food. He watches you eat it but doesn't eat; he helps you cook and garden but doesn't eat; he puts it in his mouth and takes it out again.

Hang in for the long haul. Food may show up at mealtime 15 or 20 times before your child eats it.

Stop counting. It could take years. Enjoy your own food!

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Secrets tells you how to feed so you child can eat well. Videos show you how! Click on covers for detail and purchase.

The picky eater

All young children are more-or-less picky about food and refuse new foods at first. To them, all foods are new, and it takes time and experience for them to learn to eat them. The problem is when they get stuck with being picky. Maintain the Satter Division of Responsibility in Feeding (sDOR) and adjust your expectations! Avoid pressure, be considerate without catering with meal-planning, and don't hold your breath! Your job is to provide your child with repeated neutal exposure to food: seeing it over and over again with no pressure. That allows her to gradually sneak up on it: look, watch you and others eat it, allow a bit on her plate, touch it . . . you get the idea. The goal is for your child to be relaxed and comfortable at mealtime and around food in general. If you achieve that, sooner or later (it could be months or even years later) she will eat almost everything that you eat.

Is your child stuck with being picky?

Follow sDOR so you child can please you - and please herself

What will happen next

If you stop worrying about what your child eats, you can both enjoy family meals. Parents say their children are happier and more relaxed not only at mealtimes but at other times, as well.

First, you will become consistent about having structured meals and snacks.

For a while your child will test the mealtime rules.

Then she will settle down and behave well.

She will get repeated neutal exposure to the food you and others eat.

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Booklet tells you how to feed your child and video shows you! Click on covers for details and purchase.

The child who eats "too little"

All children know how much they need to eat in order to grow in the way nature intended for them. Why do you think your child doesn't eat enough? Does he eat less than other children? Is he smaller than other children? Do you continually try to get him to eat or drink, and feel grateful when he does?

Chances are, there is no problem

Some children don't eat much, others eat a lot.

Some children who eat a lot are still small and slim.

Some children are just small, others are just big.

Evaluate your child's growth

As long as his weight follows near the same percentile, he is growing well.

But if his weight percentiles go down a lot over a short time, he may be getting too thin.

Feed as if you weren't worried about his weight
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Booklet tells you how to feed so your child eats and grows well; video shows you how. Click on covers for details and purchase.

The child who eats "too much"

Children only eat too much when they are afraid of going hungry. When you follow a division of responsibility in feeding, your child will eat as much as she needs in order to grow in the way nature intended for her. As long as her weight follows close to the same percentile on the growth curve, she is growing well. There could be a problem if her weight percentiles go up a lot over a short time, but the solution is the same: Do an excellent job with feeding.

Don't be spooked by your child's eating and weight

Some babies and children eat a lot and love to eat: they still know how much they need to eat.

From birth, some children are just normally big. As long as their growth is consistent, that is okay.

Some big babies and children don't eat much: they are satisfied on less food and continue to weigh what they weight.

Feed as if you weren't worried about her weight

Your child will feel hurt, get scared, and genuinely eat too much if you . . .

Try to get her to eat less than she wants.

Restrict either amounts or types of food. Control her portion size. Push low-calorie food.

Feed her differently from other family members.

Give her the look when she seems to eat a lot.

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Booklet tells you how to feed so your child eats enough for him; video shows you how. Click on covers for details and purchase.

The "underweight" child

Your child's weight is likely to be normal if it follows along a particular percentile curve, even if it is below the 5th or 3rd percentile on the growth chart. But if his weight falters - if it drops quickly across several growth percentiles - it is likely to indicate a problem.

Feeding errors can make your child gain too little weight

Too much interference. Parents of small children often try to get them to eat more than they want. However, such pressure makes children eat less, not more.

Too little structure. Parents of small children often let them eat all the time and are grateful when they do. However, such tactics make children eat less and not more.

Both together. Depending on how desperate they are, parents may do both - let children eat all the time and pressure them to eat when there happens to be a meal. That is seriously hard on everyone and really doesn't work.

Feed in the best way

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Booklet tells you how to feed so your child grows in the way that is right for him; video shows you how. Click on covers for detail or purchase.

The "overweight" child

Don't let anyone tell you or your child that he is overweight. Studies show that children whose parents see them as being too fat grow up to be fatter than those whose parents don't have such concerns. Parents try to restrict food, and the child does the same when he gets older - or does the opposite and sneaks food. Some grownups try to slim their child down with extra activity. It, too, backfires. The child eats more when he can, gets turned off to activity, and gains more weight than he would otherwise. Instead, do an excellent job with feeding and parenting, correct feeding errors, and let your child grow in the way that is right for him.

Feed and parent in the best way

Maintain a division of responsibility in feeding and in activity. Do your feeding and parenting jobs and let your child do his.

By the end of the first year, include your child in family meals. Have the same meal for everyone. Give sit-down snacks. Don't let him have food or drink handouts between times, except for water.

Include "forbidden foods" in meals and snacks. Depriving your child will make him eat a lot of them when he gets the chance.

Teach your child to cope. Help him develop good character, common sense, effective ways of responding to feelings, problem-solving skills, and the ability to get along with others.

Correct feeding errors

Interference. It is natural to try to get the large child to eat less than he wants. However, trying to do that makes children eat more, not less.

Lack of structure. Children who can't depend on getting fed feel constantly hungry, beg for food, and eat as much as they can whenever they can.

Trying to get your child to eat or grow in a certain way. Even if he is above the 95th percentile, and even if your weight is high, if he grows consistently, he is growing well.

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Secrets says to follow the division of responsibility in feeding; video shows you how to do it. Click on covers for detail or purchase.

Avoid pressure

Instead of putting pressure on your child's eating, follow the division of responsibility in feeding.

Pressure on children's eating always backfires

What does pressure on eating look like?

Pressure can seem positive: Praising, reminding, bribing, rewarding, applauding, playing games, talking about nutrition, giving stickers, going on and on about how great the food is, making special food, serving vegetables first, making food fun (to get the child to eat, not just to have fun).

Pressure can be negative: Restricting amounts or types of food, coaxing, punishing, shaming, criticizing, begging, withholding dessert, treats, or fun activities, physically forcing, threatening.

Pressure can seem like good parenting: Insisting on "no thank you" bites, encouraging or reminding the child to eat, taste, smell or lick, making her eat her vegetables, warning her that she will be hungry, making special food, keeping after her to use her silverware or napkin, hiding vegetables in other foods, letting her eat whenever she wants to between meals.

Pressure can be hard to detect: Ask yourself why you are doing something with feeding. Is it to get your child to eat more, less or different food than he does on his own? If so, it is pressure.

Siga la division de la responsabilidad al alimentar

Evitando la Presión

Presionar a los niños siempre tiene consecuencias negativas. Este consciente de que todos los niños son mas o menos especiales para comer ciertos alimentos. Tratar de hacer que una niña coma mas de lo que quiere hace que coma menos. Tratar de hacer que ella coma menos de lo que quiere la hace comer mas. Hacerla que coma ciertos alimentos hace que ella los evite. Tratar de que ella coma sin ensuciarse y con cuidado hace que haga un tiradero al comer. Tolerar comportamiento negativo con la esperanza de que ella va a comer mas hace que ella se porte mal y no coma.

La Presión puede parecer positiva: Halagar, recordar, premiar, aplaudir, jugar juegos, hablar sobre nutrición, darle calcomanías, hablar y hablar sobre que tan buena es la comida, preparar comida especial.

La Presión puede ser negativa: Restringir la cantidad o tipo de alimentos, convencer, insistir, avergonzar, criticar, rogar, no darle postre, dulces, o actividades divertidas, forzar físicamente, amenazar.

La Presión puede parecer como que los padres son buenos: Animar o recordarle que tiene que comer, probar, oler, o probar con la lengua nada mas, hacerla que coma las verduras, advertirle que ella va a tener hambre después, preparar comida especial, decirle constantemente que use los utensilios o servilleta, esconder las verduras en otros alimentos, dejarla que coma siempre que quiera entre comidas.

La Presión puede ser difícil de detectar: Pregúntese por que está usted haciendo algo con la alimentación ¿Es para que su niño coma más, menos o algún alimento diferente que lo que él come solo? Si es así, es presión.

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Secrets tells you how to your child can be relaxed with all kinds of food; video shows you. Click on covers for details and purchase.

Avoid restriction

Trying to get your child to eat less backfires. Unless we spoil it, children are good at knowing how much they need to eat. Some days they don't eat much; other days they eat more than you can ever imagine. Instead of restricting your child's food intake, follow a division of responsibility in feeding. Then ask yourself, "am I doing this because I am worried about his weight?" If the answer is "yes," don't do it.

Don't try to influence how much your child eats

He will stop knowing how much he needs to eat and eat more than he needs or even wants.

Even if he tries to please you and eat less, he won't be able to help himself.

He will sneak food or eat a lot when he gets the chance.

Avoid these sneaky ways of trying to get your child to eat less

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Parents consider vegetables and fruits tremendously important and feel they have to get their children to eat them. As a result, many children don't eat vegetables; others don't eat fruits. Still others don't eat either. Settle down! Your child will not experience nutritional catastrophe if he doesn't eat them.

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This is also an all-vegetarian dish, ideal for vegetarians. Remember to choose nonfat mayonnaise.
Only four steps are required to complete the dish:
1. In a large bowl, combine all the vegetables.
2. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, vinegar, and celery seed (if desired) to make a dressing.
3. Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss until well coated.
4. Toss salad with cheese and serve chilled.

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Nutrition Education And Obesity Prevention Branch Neopb

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Pack with Oven Fried Chicken for a tasty picnic lunch.

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This slide contains information about the types of sweet potatoes and Squash and other facts.

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22-23  Winter Squash/Sweet Potatoes ENG HOTM

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This resource contains how many vegetables you should eat, the benefits of eating vegetables, and more.

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Vary your veggies.

What foods are in the Vegetable Group?

Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as part of the Vegetable Group. Vegetables may be raw or cooked and can be fresh, frozen, canned, or dried. They can be whole, cut-up, or mashed.

Vegetables are organized into 5 subgroups based on their nutrients: dark green; red and orange; beans, peas, and lentils; starchy; and other vegetables.

How many vegetables are needed daily?

The amount of vegetables you need to eat depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity. It can also depend on whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Find the right amount for you by getting your MyPlate Plan. For general guidance by age, see the table below.

What counts as a cup of vegetables?

The following examples count as 1 cup from the Vegetables Group:

1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice

2 cups of raw leafy salad greens

The table below lists specific amounts that count as 1 cup of vegetables for your recommended consumption.

More About the Vegetable Group

Note: Click on the top row to expand the table. If you are on a mobile device, you may need to turn your phone sideways to see the full table.

Cup of Vegetable Table

Amount that counts as 1 cup of vegetables

Bitter melon leaves, chrysanthemum leaves, escarole, lambsquarters, nettles, poke greens, taro leaves, turnip greens

1 cup, cooked

Amaranth leaves, beet greens, bok choy, broccoli rabe (rapini), chard, collards (collard greens), cress, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach, Swiss chard, watercress

1 cup, cooked

2 cups, fresh

Raw leafy greens: Arugula (rocket), basil, cilantro, dark green leafy lettuce, endive, escarole, mixed greens, mesclun, romaine

2 cups, fresh

Red and Orange Vegetables
Carrots

2 medium carrots

1 cup, slices or chopped, fresh, cooked or frozen

1 cup baby carrots

Pumpkin, calabaza

1 cup, mashed, cooked

Red and orange bell peppers

1 large bell pepper

1 cup, chopped, fresh, or cooked

Sweet potato

1 large sweet potato, baked

1 cup, sliced or mashed, cooked

Tomatoes

1 large tomato

2 small tomatoes

1 cup, chopped or sliced, fresh, canned, or cooked

100% vegetable juice

1 cup

Winter squash (acorn, butternut, Hubbard, kabocha)

1 cup, cubed, cooked

Corn, yellow or white

1 large ear of corn

1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

Green peas

1 cup, fresh or frozen

White potatoes

1 medium white potato, boiled or baked

1 cup, diced, mashed, fresh or frozen

Bean sprouts

1 cup, cooked

Cabbage, green, red, napa, savoy

1 cup, chopped or shredded raw or cooked

Cauliflower

1 cup, pieces or florets raw or cooked, fresh or frozen

Celery

1 cup, diced or sliced, raw or cooked

2 large stalks (11" to 12" long)

Cucumbers

1 cup, raw, sliced or chopped

Green or wax beans

1 cup, raw or cooked

Green bell peppers

1 large bell pepper

1 cup, chopped, raw or cooked, fresh or frozen

Lettuce, iceberg or head

2 cups, raw, shredded or chopped

Mushrooms

1 cup, raw or cooked

Onions

1 cup, chopped, raw or cooked

Summer squash or zucchini

1 cup, cooked, sliced or diced

Why is it important to eat vegetables?

Eating vegetables provides health benefits. People who eat fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some diseases. Vegetables provide nutrients vital for the health and maintenance of the body.

Health Benefits

All food and beverage choices matter. Focus on variety, amount, and nutrition.

As part of an overall healthy diet, eating foods lower in calories per cup, such as vegetables, instead of higher-calorie food may help you lower your calorie intake.

Eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce the risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke.

Eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain types of cancers.

Adding vegetables helps increase fiber and potassium, which many Americans do not get enough of.

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What is the USDA MyPlate Vegetable Group? The Vegetable Group is one of the five food groups. Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as part of the Vegetable Group. Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated; and may be whole, cut-up, or mashed.

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This site contains WIC-supported purchases of fruits and vegetables

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Fruits And Vegetables - California Women, Infants & Children Program

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There is a recall of some lot numbers of Similac, Similac PM 60/40, Alimentum and EleCare powdered formulas. Check the lot number on the bottom of your formula and click here to see if your formula needs to be returned. If you have recalled formula, do NOT use it.

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I believe my enjoyment of vegetables has something to do with the way my parents fed me. My parents always made sure there was a vegetable on the dinner table. I loved bunnies when I was little and my parents told me that rabbits eat carrots and that they would be more willing to be close to me if I ate carrots too. I did become more willing to eat carrots after hearing this story. I have listed other strategies that my parents used with me that I found helpful

- Give the vegetable a cute nickname (Cucumber is called "GuaGua" at my home, because its color is similar to frogs, and then the frog's call is this)
- Demonstrate the deliciousness of vegetables in front of children
- Try starting with colorful vegetables (I am always drawn to red tomatoes, yellow peppers, and other colorful vegetables)

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A funny song for children to learn about different vegetable.

https://youtu.be/KBMxpDbp51A
The combination of cartoon characters and vegetables can help improve children's acceptance of vegetables

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TeachKind has partnered with the widely known author, teacher, and songwriter Dr. Jean Feldman to create a song that gets kids excited about eating fruits and vegetables. It is sung the tune of the song "Jenny Jenkins" and includes choreography for students to bring it to life.

Use "Eat Green!" to have your students sing about the colors of the rainbow while teaching them about healthy fruits and veggies!

Download a copy of the lyrics here
https://www.peta.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/07-Eat-Green.mp3
Watch Dr. Jean bring these lyrics to life in this video: Lyrics and music reprinted by kind permission of Dr. Jean Feldman
*****

Please share this resource with other teachers to inspire them to incorporate compassion for animals into their curricula.

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TeachKind Presents 'Eat Green!'-a Song to Help Kids Learn About Fruits and Vegetables | PETA

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TeachKind has partnered with the widely known author, teacher, and songwriter Dr. Jean Feldman to create a song that gets kids excited about eating fruits and vegetables. It is sung the tune of the song "Jenny Jenkins" and includes choreography for students to bring it to life. Use "Eat Green!"

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This video contains some creative artistic ways to use vegetables. I think they are beautiful and not as difficult as I thought, the most important thing is patience.

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5 Creative Veggie Arts As Beautiful Food Arrangement Ideas