Creating healthy and happy eaters

By Frances McGrath, BNurs, BAppSc, DipNut
Reviewed by Catherine Foresetell, PhD

With a death toll of over 200,000 Americans and rising from Covid-19, we are all feeling the effects of this cruel pandemic. What it has highlighted however, is that certain conditions appear to increase the severity of the symptoms and the risk of death; at the top of the list is obesity and the health complications associated with it.

• You provide, let baby decide. You provide what foods are on offer, and baby decides when they have had enough

• Keep mealtimes happy and stress free
• Remove unnecessary distractions such as TV or devices
• Ensure baby is sitting comfortably and facing other family members
• Role model healthy eating at every opportunity.
• Respond to hunger and fullness cues and leave behind expectations of how much you want baby to eat. 
• Feed slowly, encouraging baby to eat and never resorting to bribery
• Avoid unhealthy foods you know baby will eat to ensure they ‘just eats something’
• Only offer food for hunger and not for any other reason

Disclaimer: The information provided is the opinion of Good Feeding, it has not been evaluated by healthcare professionals, and is for educational purposes only. Before starting any new foods or feeding practices, please consult your baby's healthcare professional.

1. Pack in those veggies when you’re pregnant and breastfeeding

   Baby’s flavour journey begins in the womb surrounded by your amniotic fluid. Breastfeed if possible to continue the flavour journey through your breast milk.

2. Begin Flavor training at around 4-5 months

   Flavor training starts before baby needs solids for nutrition. A ‘taste’, 1/2 teaspoon, is all that is required, after a milk feed.

3. Vary your Veggies

   • Introduce a wide variety of vegetables spanning the whole flavor spectrum. Being sure to include plenty of bitter vegetables (broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts).
   • Try offering a new ‘taste’ every 1-2 days In all different forms (warm, cold, puree and after 6 months as finger foods)

4. No health by stealth

   Offer single vegetables where possible, especially in the first few months of flavor training. Avoid hiding ‘unliked’ foods in ‘liked’ foods.

5. Repetition, repetition, repetition

   If baby doesn’t like it the first time offer again and again. It can take up to 10 times before acceptance. Don’t be put off by funny faces baby is just getting used to something new. Continue to offer again and again, throughout infancy, toddlerhood and the preschool years

6. Be a healthy eating role model

   Be a positive role model at all ages and stages, show baby just how delicious those veggies are. Avoid allowing your own likes or dislikes, wants and expectations get in the way.

Disclaimer: The information provided is the opinion of Good Feeding, it has not been evaluated by healthcare professionals, and is for educational purposes only. Before starting any new foods or feeding practices, please consult your baby's healthcare professional.

People around the globe are facing uncertainty to a degree not felt within most of our lifetimes. No one knows what the state of the world or their lives will be one year from now. From job loss to the loss of family, friends, or personal health, it’s hard not to feel stressed.