Cebu Province - Eating behaviors evolve during the first years of life; children learn what, when, and how much to eat through direct experiences with food and by observing the eating behaviors of others. 

Eating habits are instilled from a young age, and often these habits are carried through to adulthood. Children who learn to eat well can develop and sustain a healthy lifestyle, which has many benefits such as healthy growth and development and preventing long term illness.

Children who eat healthy foods in their everyday lives can be more alert and interested in activities, which can improve their concentration and learning.

You can help provide a healthy eating environment by:

• making mealtimes relaxed and comfortable,
• sitting and eating with the children,
• being positive about the healthy foods the children are eating,
• encouraging fussy eaters to try new foods,
• being a positive role model with the foods you eat, and
• teaching the children about healthy eating through discussions, questions, games, and activities.

There are things you can do when you’re away from the children as well, like:

• working with other staff, the cook and management on how to improve mealtimes of children,
• contributing to and supporting your organization’s healthy eating policy,
• passing on information to parents about healthy eating, and
• building on your own skills and knowledge about health promotion through seminars, workshops, and other training.

If you want to get a bit more creative, you can set up a vegetable garden, growing simple vegetables like carrots, malunggay, squash and more. You could then try some cooking activities with the children using the produce you’ve grown.

Children’s eating patterns and food preferences are established early in life. When children refuse nutritious foods such as fruits or vegetables, mealtimes can become stressful or confrontational, and children may be denied both the nutrients they need to be healthy and productive. Responsive interactions with caregivers during mealtime will also be helpful as this can contribute to the psychosocial stimulation of the child. Caregivers who are inexperienced or stressed, and those who have poor eating habits themselves, may be most in need of assistance to facilitate healthy, nutritious mealtime behavior with their children. // ND II Abigail Ambe, RND