November 15, 2007
Family Meals & Breastfeeding
Enjoying The Family Meal
Family meals are important. You create close bonds and lifelong memories around the family table. Family meals can teach your child about healthful eating. You just need to be a good role model. When you try new foods, your child may be more adventurous with food, too.
Try these easy ways to make family meals a pleasant part of your family routine:
- Set a regular family mealtime. Regular mealtimes give your child a better chance to eat a variety of foods to get the right amount to grow, stay healthy and keep a healthy weight.
- Make it simple, make it quick! Spend less time in the kitchen and more time at the family table. Simple meals, even cold sandwiches, taste as good as meals that take more work. You can make any meal special if you all feel relaxed and if mealtime is filled with caring and laughter. Simplify-to take care of you, too!
- Show that family meals are important. During mealtime, turn off the TV. Find another way to see favorite shows. Let the answering machine take your phone calls, too. Have your family make calls before or after the meal hour. Show that same respect for other families when you make phone calls.
- Eat around a table. It's easier to talk and listen to your family when you face each other. Eating side-by-side at the kitchen counter takes away eye contact.
- Enjoy meal talk. Make easy conversations-no nagging or complaining. Talk so everyone can be a "star" at mealtime. Don't take over. Your child will listen and learn by feeling included.
- Be realistic about mealtime. Try to sit down together. Keep meals from lasting too long. If kids get fussy, your family meal won't be fun. Wait until everyone is done to be excused.
Family Meals--Fast, Healthful!
- Buy partly prepared foods. Try grated cheese, cut-up chicken, and mixed salad greens to save time. These foods often cost more, so check the price.
- Stock your kitchen. Get foods that you can make and serve in a hurry, such as
- Canned fruit
- Canned or frozen vegetables and beans
- Canned meat, poultry and fish
- Canned soups or stew
- Whole-grain bread
- Pasta
- Rice
- Cheese
- Low-fat yogurt
- Frozen meals
- Cook once for everyone. Does your child like plain vegetables, meat, rice, or noodles? If so, set some aside before you add other ingredients. You won't need to take time to prepare different foods.
- Cook a fast way. Broil, stir-fry or microwave when you can. Roasting and baking take longer.
- Make no-cook meals: Salads with canned tuna, chicken or beans; cold sandwiches, raw vegetables and yogurt dip; fruit. Hint: Kids like finger foods!
- Double or triple the amount. Cook for today and later. You can make enough meat sauce for spaghetti today and for topping a baked potato tomorrow.