Mealtime Behaviors
Learn politeness from the impolite.
-Egyptian proverb
-Egyptian proverb
"How
people eat is often as important as what they eat," observe Sharon Bergen
and Rachel Robertson in their guidebook, Healthy Children,
Healthy Lives: The Wellness Guide for Early Childhood Programs. They continue...
"In the past meals took time to prepare and families gathered around a table to eat them together. As they ate their food, they spent time talking. Often this was a bonding experience. It also helped people stay healthy. By eating food they had prepared themselves, they knew what ingredients went into it. Eating together encouraged eating slowly, which aided digestion and helped them know if they were full or still hungry. Today the average family's schedules and the convenience of restaurant meals have decreased the time people spend preparing and eating food. Further, restaurant foods are often high in additives, sugars, and fats. These ingredients can affect immediate and long-term health and often lead to overeating and weight gain.
"Teachers can help children read their own bodies' cues so they know how full or hungry they are. To that end, children should be offered food at regular time intervals throughout the day. Additionally, children should not be required to eat when they aren't hungry. They should not develop a habit of snacking throughout the day, either. Food should be used to give their bodies energy. It should not be treated as a reward or a punishment. Children need food for energy and most of them eagerly choose to eat at allotted times."
"In the past meals took time to prepare and families gathered around a table to eat them together. As they ate their food, they spent time talking. Often this was a bonding experience. It also helped people stay healthy. By eating food they had prepared themselves, they knew what ingredients went into it. Eating together encouraged eating slowly, which aided digestion and helped them know if they were full or still hungry. Today the average family's schedules and the convenience of restaurant meals have decreased the time people spend preparing and eating food. Further, restaurant foods are often high in additives, sugars, and fats. These ingredients can affect immediate and long-term health and often lead to overeating and weight gain.
"Teachers can help children read their own bodies' cues so they know how full or hungry they are. To that end, children should be offered food at regular time intervals throughout the day. Additionally, children should not be required to eat when they aren't hungry. They should not develop a habit of snacking throughout the day, either. Food should be used to give their bodies energy. It should not be treated as a reward or a punishment. Children need food for energy and most of them eagerly choose to eat at allotted times."
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