Learning about ‘sometimes foods’

Children begin to develop attitudes towards food at a very young age.

Encouraging children to be receptive to things like listening to their tummies if they are hungry, learning about which are everyday or sometimes foods, eating a variety of foods, can be achieved from a very young age.

Helping children develop a healthy attitude towards foods and nutrition gives them the building blocks they need.

An important tool for children is learning the about food and the different types of foods is introducing the concept of sometimes foods rather than good or bad foods.

Using terminology such as sometimes foods rather than junk food or bad food helps to remove the negative connotation associated with particular food and assists in promoting a positive food association.

It enables us to teach a child to make better food choices.

Educating a child to make a choice to eat healthy foods and also not plague them with guilt if they choose a sometimes food rather than a bad food removes the guilt factor and negative association with food.

A child learning about the various types of food and food groups in a positive light ensures that they develop an understanding about foods, reasons for why they should eat particular foods, as well as opens a positive line of communication.

It facilitates the learning that some foods are not as good for us as others and their place each foods have in their diet.

Teaching a child about food fosters a child being aware of and the influence different foods have.

It will alleviate a child gorging themselves on the ‘forbidden’ foods that are considered no go or bad foods.

It aids a child to understand the regularity and quantity to have when it comes to all foods.

• Decide on ‘treat’ or sometimes foods together.
• Make it so that the sometimes foods are not only the ones that are fun foods. If you make the healthy options fun and inviting too then the sometimes foods won’t seem so desirable.
• Present food in a visibly attractive and/or fun way.
• Model the good eating habits. You can’t expect your child to develop good eating habits if they don’t see you role modelling them.
• Offer food in a variety of ways. this makes it more exciting and prevents boredom or them resenting everyday foods.
• Remain positive and acknowledge their efforts. Don’t be too negative if they aren’t quite where you want them to be.
• Avoid using junk foods (sometimes foods) as a bribe or reward.