https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:24:36 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247383 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 18:55:08 +0000 plantains 2247383@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yoursilverlining: yes exactly! I want her to enjoy food and to be willing to try new things. My kid is pretty resistant to pizza and refuses to drink anything that isn't water but i am happy to take her the ice cream trick after a swim! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247221 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 15:33:30 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 2247221@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I talk about healthy foods, I also try to keep the focus on the why's behind it instead of just "it's good for you" or "it's healthy"... I try to make it tangible and applicable for them. Oranges are good for you because it has vitamin C, and vitamin C keeps us from getting sick! Salmon/Fish helps your memory so you remember things better. Greens will help you grow and make you stronger! Everytime DD eats vegetables, she has to stand right up against me and compare how tall she is to me. She'll say, "Look mommy! I think I'm growing!! I'm getting taller! It's because I ate all my peas". I try to make the associations to healthy food really positive and appealing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247213 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 15:22:50 +0000 yoursilverlining 2247213@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@plantains: Exactly. Modeling a healthy relationship with food I think is most important. Growing up seeing a parent treating food as a necessary evil, or using food as a tool for power/control (over one’s own self, or someone else) or as something that must always be watched and controlled is really dangerous - much more than eating grains, or cheeseburgers or whatever. Food is so linked to body image, and we model so much without even realizing. I just want my daughter to have a healthy relationship with her food and with her body. </p> <p>I *feel* like it’s also important to set up healthy eating habits early just because it’s so easy to fall into prepared food ruts, or to never explore beyond what you had as a kid. That said though, my brother and I were raised in the same home with the same parents and eating the same meals (no “special dinners” made for us!) our entire lives and I’m a mostly healthy, very adventurous eater while as an adult he would happily live off of macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers and canned corn for the rest of his life.<br /> There’s definitely no 100% method. </p> <p>Everything in moderation. Enjoy food. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247207 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 15:18:47 +0000 catlady 2247207@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rainbow Sprinkles: Yes, totally agree. DH and I both have immediate family members with serious food issues ranging from obesity to anorexia so this is always on my mind. </p> <p>I think another way to frame things is not to focus on healthy vs unhealthy foods, but just introduce a wide variety of foods and indicate that some foods should be eaten more than others. It's important for me and DH that LO is exposed to many different types of foods, even if they aren't necessarily "healthy" because we don't want her to be picky later on like our families are. So things like berries or bell peppers or cheese are foods that LO can have as snacks every day if she wants, but things like cookies, or dim sum, or burritos are all "weekend" foods in our household. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247202 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 15:12:03 +0000 catomd00 2247202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't plan on emphasizing much about food or making a big deal of it. I believe everything in moderation and let my daughter choose when and how much she eats. We keep generally healthy food in the house. She is only 17 months so it's easier, but I still offer her a choice if she doesn't ask for something specific. Food isn't something I want to ever make a battle of. If she wants to eat fruit or cheese before dinner, fine. I draw the line at treats before dinner. I won't make a separate meal for her, but if she's hungry later she can have leftovers or a healthy snack of my choosing. I try and be laid back about it and hope that it works out! So far, she is a great Eater who eats pretty much everything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247178 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 14:49:55 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 2247178@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rainbow Sprinkles: Was going to write something along these lines, but you nailed it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247159 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 14:31:43 +0000 plantains 2247159@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rainbow Sprinkles: this times a thousand. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247140 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 14:23:19 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 2247140@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think what's most important is encouraging a healthy relationship with food, rather than specific instructions on what TO eat (veggies! lean proteins!) and what NOT to eat (sugar! starch!). I don't want my girls growing up thinking that they need to eat certain things in order to avoid guilt (because, let's face it, if certain foods are deemed "bad," there will always be some sort of guilt associated with them). When there is "good food" and "bad food," it's too easy for one's relationship with food to become emotional, which is a category it should not fall into.</p> <p>I want to strive to teach my girls that food fuels their body. It gives them energy, it makes them strong, and they wouldn't be able to do all the things they love to do without proper fuel, so they should eat accordingly. However, treats are not off limits, either. You ate your dinner and want a cookie? Great! It's sunny and hot and you want a sugary popsicle? Sure thing! You already had 2 glasses of water today? Okay, here's some chocolate milk. I want to teach them to eat when you're hungry and stop eating when you're full. Don't be afraid to eat in front of others or get your face messy with spaghetti. You are not, by any means, what you eat, and food does NOT define you!</p> <p>I guess the moral of the story for me is that balance is key. In my household, the food rules will always be this: stay active. Take good care of your body so you can do the things you love (ballet. biking. climbing. jumping rope.). Eat what you want. I feel that if you don't act as if certain things are "bad" (ohh honey, you can have a tiny, eensy, weensy sliver of brownie) then they won't grow up wanting to binge eat or make unhealthy choices. I have no problem with the fact that my girls love chicken nuggets and fries and fruit by the foot and ice cream, because they also love broccoli and brussels sprouts and water and blueberries.</p> <p>I grew up with a mom who is completely obsessed with her diet and she daily said things like "Well, it's okay for me to eat this slice of cake because I am just not going to eat tomorrow." or "I am not eating today because Dad and I are going to a steakhouse for our anniversary tomorrow."<br /> That kind of limitation is exactly what I want to avoid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247112 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 13:50:46 +0000 Maysprout 2247112@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We try to cook healthy and encourage them to eat new foods. I think it's easy for kids to slip into a comfort of only a couple foods are acceptable and it's important to keep encouraging trying foods, tastebuds change. We also have a rule of eating a meal before treats, but we don't avoid treats. And for stuff we don't like LO to eat we tell her why but we don't create a religion out of it, if she has some over a friends I'm not going to act like she's now full of demons or bad for having some. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247083 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 13:25:54 +0000 mrbee 2247083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Great ideas! And how have I never heard of indoor lawn bowling before? Looks like fun! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247079 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 13:23:48 +0000 looch 2247079@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: My inlaws do this exceptionally well, for example, they will organize us to all go indoor lawn bowling at a time that isn't a meal time. Since most places have limited food available on site and you can't really get it to go, you have to eat before and not while you are there.</p> <p>If we do get together for a meal, we'll all go for a walk at some point, depends on the time, but literally, there will be 20 of us wandering around town.</p> <p>It's harder when you are used to celebrating events with meals. One time, I tried to suggest to my dad that we should go play miniature golf instead of having lunch for Fathers Day and he nearly disowned me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247068 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 13:20:32 +0000 mrbee 2247068@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Wow that's so interesting! What kind of activities don't involve food? Usually when we do an activity like bowling or something, we order a bunch of side foods... haha definitely living in a culture of food over here! Would love to change that mentality though... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247064 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 13:18:44 +0000 looch 2247064@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Jury is out on my son, but I can tell you that my parents and inlaws managed to raise 7 good eaters by limiting the amount of prepared foods that were used in meals. It's a lot easier in Europe because they simply don't have the volume of processed food available like we do in the US, but what they did have in common is that almost every single meal was prepared at home.</p> <p>I think it's also important not to create a culture of food, where every single gathering involves a meal. It's something that I am consious of, that if I invite people to do something, we don't have to go out to eat, instead we can do an activity. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2247052 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 13:12:21 +0000 Mamaof2 2247052@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know - I think it just depends on the individual.</p> <p>Growing up I was forced to eat everything on my plate including all the veggies.. As an adult I hate most veggies. I will eat them sometimes just because I know they are good for me but I don't like them.<br /> Sweets weren't held back - we had tons of juice boxes - as an adult I eat sweets in moderation but cant stand drinking calories.</p> <p>My niece wasn't allowed to have candy and my SIL said when she did have access she hoarded it - she would eat an entire family size bag of candy in one sitting - ugh, that cant be healthy.</p> <p>My kids get everything in moderation. They don't like juice, they prefer and ask for water but on the weekends they get a sprite or root beer as a treat and then come Monday they ask for water again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2246985 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 12:31:21 +0000 mediagirl 2246985@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think everything in moderation is good. We try to expose our daughter to as much food and drink as possible. Nothing is banned, special treats are the really good full of sugar things. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2246978 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 12:25:49 +0000 Mae 2246978@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think healthy eating when kids are really young is important because I do believe it "sets" their taste buds at least to some extent on what they like and all eat. This was particularly important to me because I ate total crap as a kid and as an adult I still struggle a lot because I hate most healthy food (veggies, roasted meats, etc). I think if a kid grows up eating and liking healthy foods, even if they overdo it with crappy food later in life, they still have healthy food to fall back on when they are motivated to be healthy. It's always going to be easier to eat healthy when you like healthy food. </p> <p>But we don't plan to ban food. At this point I don't feel like it comes into play because our LO is so young (14 mo) so she always eats with us and is still getting used to solids so why not just feed her healthy stuff. But as she gets older we'll allow her to eat whatever in moderation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2246966 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 12:17:30 +0000 JennyPenny 2246966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents were not good food role models. Growing up we had mostly pizza, mexican, and fast food. We cooked at home a couple times a week when I was really little, then maybe once or twice a month when I was a teen. They didn't like veggies so we never had much, and they were often overloaded with butter or cheese. </p> <p>When I got to college I had healthy, diverse foods for the first time and it was like heaven. I was probably the only kid I knew who was sooo sick of pizza and wanted to go to the dining hall for roast chicken and veggies. So maybe I'm an extreme example of how having junk food as a kid won't ruin their ability to appreciate veggies and stuff.</p> <p>We'll probably take a middle of the road approach. Nothing is forbidden but the majority of the time we eat healthy.</p> <p>ETA: I just realized that maybe I'm also an example about what you don't have growing up is what you crave when you get older. *shrug* </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2246964 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 12:15:13 +0000 Sparkler 2246964@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They say the forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest and I think this is true with most things! Though personality and genetic preferences play into it too! We eat our meals together which is often a pain with 3 kids and generally have pretty healthy things available. I allow our kids to have cake, lemonade and things like that on special occasions and I don't stress about it (though I do hide candy from pinata and halloween, etc.). I have gotten way more lax overtime, but we also try to make healthy food fun too (allowing my kids (with supervision) to make pesto, chimichurri sauce, etc. in the mini food processor, ginger kale smoothies with curly straws, freezing fruit on skewers, eating seafood out of the shell, calling broccoli trees and green beans snakes and always offering a "dipping" sauce if they aren't loving a particular item). Some days they are better eaters than others, but It may be genetic too though as my husband and I love all food so that helps! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2246943 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 12:02:19 +0000 MrsSCB 2246943@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think if you get too strict, eating super healthy 100 percent of the time and demonizing unhealthy, "treat" food, you can run into issues later. To me, a truly healthy diet and a healthy attitude towards food means eating well most of the time, but still leaving room for stuff like ice cream, cookies, soda, etc. occasionally. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2246922 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 11:49:17 +0000 mrsbubbletea 2246922@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think the same thing is true for television! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2246917 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 11:45:36 +0000 Jess1483 2246917@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The best kid eaters I know (ages 10, 8, and 5), live in a house where they pretty much eat what they want, although there isn't a lot of junk food available. They eat meals together, but there's no pressure to eat another bite, or more of whatever... They can always have dessert when it's available (which isn't all the time.) I'm fairly sure two of the three kids are less picky than I am! I try to model our food rules after theirs, but since DS is underweight, I do push food a bit more. I'd like to move away from that, though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2246915 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 11:41:19 +0000 Peasinapod 2246915@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents didn't have junk food in the house. No chips, no candy, no cookies, no sugary cereal, no microwave convenience foods.</p> <p>I don't crave most things junk wise chips, pop, fast food I don't have an issue. But cookies and chocolate I can't control myself... But maybe if I'd had it more as a kid I'd be the same? I think you're going to crave what you're going to crave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2246911 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 11:36:58 +0000 Greentea 2246911@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My approach is to attempt to provide an experience where healthy food is awesome because it is so delicious, but also because it helps us grow and keeps us from getting sick.</p> <p>At the same time, DH and I love treats, so does DD, so we have no problem enjoying them (ice cream at the lake, etc.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2246902 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 11:29:32 +0000 Anagram 2246902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think there's one approach that "works" 100% of the time--so much depends on the individual. I look at my own family as an example--I'm one of 6 kids. My mom really only had healthier foods in the house growing up, except for holidays. Like no sodas, no white bread, no candy or chocolates or sugar cereals or bought cookies....that type of thing.</p> <p>I definitely have a sweet tooth and struggle to stay away from all of those things as an adult. But of the 6 of us, I'd say 3 are very healthy adults who also work out, really care about "clean" foods, have great bmi's etc. My little sister and I are kind of medium--like we love our junk food, but day to day we eat pretty healthy. We could both stand to lose 10-15 lbs but are not technically overweight (well, when I'm not pregnant).</p> <p>And I have one extremely overweight sister. Who also has an extremely overweight son. Extreme as in...they are each almost 200 lbs overweight. Just from what I've observed as an outsider, 90% of their foods are very unhealthy (think fried, breaded, salted, packaged, no vegetables, etc).</p> <p>All raised in the same house. Weird isn't it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2246895 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 11:22:49 +0000 gingerbebe 2246895@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess I'm a product of my parents style of childrearing where bc we were Korean we always had Korean food for meals and that always had a lot of stuff in it that would be considered unusual. But my parents also never begrudged us trying new things, whether it be a sip of coke or a bite of cookie. They never kept it in the house so it wasn't a matter of forbidding but if we went to McDonalds they weren't going to be like no nuggets and pop. But again at home it was always super healthy Korean food. So we do the same for our son. He gets super healthy food at home with lots of different spices and cuisines but if we are out we let him eat where we we are - granted we try to pick decent spots. But at 11 months he's had fries and soft serve yogurt and cookies and muffins. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-eating-does-it-set-up-a-lifetime-of-good-habits-or-not-prepare-them-for-temptation#post-2246882 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 11:13:36 +0000 mrbee 2246882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've noticed there are two schools of thought around giving your kids mostly healthy food.</p> <p>The first is that healthy-ish eating sets up the kids for a lifetime of good habits, and programs their taste buds to like food they might not try otherwise. For example, our kids love roasted broccoli and cauliflower, which amazes me - I didn't have them roasted until I was in my 20s!</p> <p>The second school of thought is that if you don't give your kids access to soda, sugar, etc. - then they won't be prepared for the temptation when they do finally get access to soda and sugar (at other peoples' houses, in college and beyond).</p> <p>We try to split the difference by eating mostly healthy but making sugar and carbonated beverages available a special treat... who knows if it's working though. Food is complicated! I always feel like I'm doing it wrong.</p> <p>What do you think: does health eating eat up a lifetime of good habits and pre-programmed taste buds, or does it mean your kids won't be prepared for the real world? </p>