Childrens eating habits

[RCT]

my kids take a multi vitamin each morning..started that when we lived in Upstate NY and they were sick all the time....they love milk (2%) but I have been wondering lately if they are getting the right stuff....I totally stopped buying that Roman stuff...after we all discussed the sodium intake on that....and try to let them have thier own food identity...like dd doesn't like sauce on her pasta...that's cool...she just has parm cheese....they both like lunch meat, with out bread....I feel like they eat a balanced diet everyday....but wondered exactly how many of us eat the FIVE a day.....I rarely get them all in...do my kids?

just being nosey....wanting to talk about food for kids...easy and fun...and nutritious.....:)

[AnnW]

I am not sure it's possible to get the five servings in a day! LOL
I pretty much always have at least 2 veggies and a fruit for dinner. Their lunches are sort of balanced. They both drink tons of milk..in fact, ds is in that stage where I think he drinks a gallon every other day! I buy at least 4 gallons a week.
I accomodate their tastes up to a point. DS doesn't like sauce on his food so that's no biggie, dd likes lettuce only and ds only tomatoes so they split their salad, but I don't cook different meals.

[lindaM]

I thought my kids were picky until this weekend.

the boy only eats corn bread for breakfast, cheese its and land o lakes cheese slices (2) for lunch, and dinner haven't found anything he will eat.

I'm sure he'd be much happier if he ate something!!!

[MaryL]

Originally posted by RCT
my kids take a multi vitamin each morning..started that when we lived in Upstate NY and they were sick all the time....they love milk (2%) but I have been wondering lately if they are getting the right stuff....I totally stopped buying that Roman stuff...after we all discussed the sodium intake on that....and try to let them have thier own food identity...like dd doesn't like sauce on her pasta...that's cool...she just has parm cheese....they both like lunch meat, with out bread....I feel like they eat a balanced diet everyday....but wondered exactly how many of us eat the FIVE a day.....I rarely get them all in...do my kids?

just being nosey....wanting to talk about food for kids...easy and fun...and nutritious.....:)

Gee...whenever you post about what meals you are cooking...they always seem so well balanced and nutritious. If your kids eat most of it...I think you're doing great! Heck...compared to your menus...mine are bland and boring. I'm careful to have fruits/vegetables during the day, however I don't obsess over it. Somedays we have more than others. My boys are much better about eating fruits....so I roll with that. Veggies are more of a struggle, but I encourage them. Dh and I are kind of picky eaters where veggies are concerned..and I'm sure that's why my dks are particular. They both drink plenty of Skim milk.
I also give my boys a multi-vitamin everyday...I just feel like it's "insurance". I'm more than just a cook...and I refuse to have my life revolving around the meals I'm preparing. It's sad...but that's probably why I am not very "imaginative" with meals.

[MK]

My kids eat both breakfast and lunch at school, where they are served fruits and/or vegetables both meals (that doesn't guarantee they eat it though). We eat vegetables almost every night with dinner, and they do that well. I rarely keep "snacks" in the house, so if they want a snack, the first thing I tell them is "eat some fruit!", lol. If they really are hungry, they will.

As for me... I average 8 servings of fruits and vegetables every day! I have to, or I will feel "boggy" and I can't do my job.
:yippee:

When I found out that I had a vitamin deficiency (inspite of all the leafy greens I eat), I decided dh and dks should take vitamins too, "just in case."

As for being "balanced" on the weekends and such, when we are pretty much "a la carte," I try to encourage my kids to have something from each food group. Their favorite is the breads/cereals group, for instance, so if they've already chowed a bunch of cereal and bagels, then before they can have anymore, I tell them they've got to choose something from a different food group, and then another one, and so on, until they've at least had something from each group. When they were just preschool, I used a dry erase marker to make a chart on the fridge in order to show/teach my son what I meant, to help him make and keep track of his choices. (He could read then, so that was a help.)

[bizymum]

My kids are ery picky eaters. DS#1 more than DS 2 though.

I have a heck of time getting them to eat any fruit at all, and vegis they only will eat corn or carrots, though I do put others on their plate and when I do it is the end of the world.

They drink plenty of milk, though I have to moniter how much DS#2 drinks cause he is mildly lactose intolerant.

They get a vitamin everyday.

I am not very imaginative with meals either, everyone elses always sounds so much better.

[JAK]

I know we don't get our 5 a day. Dd probably gets the closest as she likes fruit and we have fruit everyday with breakfast. (Ds and I are big fruit eaters.) Then with dinner we always have veggies. Ds is the picky eater in our family, but he's not too bad compared to other children I've seen. They drink plenty of milk and take vitimains when I remember! LOL

[Marla]

My kids go through stages. For the most part, they are pretty good with their foods. I try to encourage a wide assortment but don't stick to the 5 a day rule either.

Oldest ds loves raw veggies, and will usually take a salad for lunch a couple times of week. Although we encourage fruits as well, he prefers veggies.

Youngest ds is the opposite. He'll tolerate raw veggies (some of the them) but give him any type of fruit and he is happy.

They both love milk and dairy products and we only have whole wheat bread in our house. In the last little while, they have both become more adventurous with their meat, chicken and fish choices.

[Lynda-WA]

I'm not hard and fast about any eating rules. I try and let the kids make their own choices. For the most part they will eat anything and everything. I just asked the kids what they don't like. DS doesn't like bananas (a former favorite) and isn't thrilled with raisins. DD says she doesn't like some soups (ie potato soup) or mushroom pizza. And she says she half likes raisins and half doesn't. All of this is news to me except for DS not liking bananas! If I serve it, they eat it since I'm not seving anything else. So they just don't say a word. Every once in awhile one of the kids will say they don't like something on their plate (last night DD didn't want to eat the crust from her bread since it had seeds). As long as they've tried it I don't care. There are plenty of days they haven't gotten their 5. Other days they've had way more. I figure variety is more important in the long run.

We talk about nutrition at the table and when shopping. I've also talked to the about the differences between how they eat and their cousin. My SIL/BIL make food a big issue in the house. And the more they make an issue out of food the larger my niece gets (she wore a women's size 16 at age 11) They had a *sugar* day and that was the only day my niece could eat a sugary cereal or treats. That failed. They went to a nutritionist but that was a bust. i guess soy curd cheese over a baked potato didn't sound like that great of a meal! They are non-dairy and do soy instead. According to BIL they are all lactose intolerant. Ironic since he grew up drinking a gallon of milk a day! You probably remember me complaining about how hard they are to feed. Anyways, my point is that the bigger of an issue they make food and restrictions on it, the more my niece craves what she can't have. She sneaks what she can't have. I doubt if she really enjoys half of what she eats since she's shoving it in on the sly.

BTW, speaking of lactose intolerant - I just read a mini article on it in Woman's World. The doctor said that as people age they eat less dairy. Eating less results in the production of less of the enzyme that breaks dairy products down. Ergo, you can then eat less. Sort of a catch-22. The doctor recommended eating more hard cheeses.

I try and add in veggies or fruits. For example, when we have tacos, I add in a can off mexican tomatoes and a can of corn to the meat. We also always have fruits and veggies available for snacking.

They usually drink milk, water or orange/pineapple juice. We go through a gallon in 1 to 2 days for DH and the two kids (I rarely drink milk)

The kid's don't usually do a milti-vitamin although I am seriously considering it.

I'm really happy with how my kids eat. They eat just about everything and aren't picky. They can't afford to be with my cooking!! I do wish that I had a larger variety of dishes and do try to cook new things. Big problem since I consider cooking, wasted time. More important then what I serve my kids - I think they'll keep making smart choices when I'm not there to encourage them.