The U.S. Department of Agriculture is advising parents not to say anything bad about any food at the dinner table, part of its effort to ensure kids keep an open mind about the food they eat, even things their parents may not like.
On Monday, MyPlate.gov, a division of USDA that dispenses nutrition advice, tweeted out a list of 10 things parents can do to help preschoolers build “healthy mealtime habits.”
The 10 tips linked to in the tweet includes one that says parents have to work to “keep things positive” when it comes to talking about food.
“Talk about color, feel or flavor of foods so they sound appealing to your preschooler,” the tip advised. “Discourage others from making negative comments about foods during meals.”
Help children build healthy mealtime habits. Talk about color, feel, & flavor of new foods. https://t.co/3XyW68ejnl pic.twitter.com/BO35nWige1
— ChooseMyPlate.gov (@MyPlate) November 2, 2015
It also encouraged parents to do all they can to keep their kids interested in new foods, even if they don’t like them right away.
“Keep in mind that it may take a dozen tries for a child to accept a new food,” it said.
Among the other tips are for parents to plan healthy meals throughout the day, and to entertain your kids when you eat.
“Make conversation about something that made them laugh,” it said. “Keep mealtime upbeat and stress free.”
Parents should also bring children to the supermarket, tell their kids to stop eating when full and reward kids with attention, not treats.
“Comfort and reward with care and praise, not food,” it said.
