Win a R500 Woolworths gift card, plus tips on how to get your kids eating healthier (and if you should punish them for eating “badly”)

I guess I'm fortunate in that I have a toddler who adores fruit and veg, but I often battle to get him to eat things other than sushi, and to not give into the requests for ice cream each morning for breakfast.

I'm often looking for healthy eating tips for myself and my son, and after reading about fellow moms' woes and struggles (mostly on Twitter), I asked Cindy Chin, resident dietitian of Woolworths for her advice. Cindy is also a mom of two girls, aged six and three and a half, so she has a lot of "been there, done that" tips too.

From the moms you've worked with, what would you say their biggest issue is when it comes to feeding their kids? How to feed picky eaters nutritionally balanced meals; and how to keep lunch boxes exciting yet nutritious. What is your answer for them? I’d encourage parents to attend our Mom’s Store Tours which are held in major cities throughout the year. The current theme is “Brain Food for exams” since most school-aged children are writing exams at this time of year, but we also cover these topics: “Balanced Lunchboxes” and “Quick & Easy Meals for the Whole Family”. The tours aim to give parents some hands-on practical advice and are led by dietitians, so it’s a great opportunity for parents to learn from and speak to experts in nutrition. As a mom, do you battle with eating issues with your own child, and if so, what? My six-year-old has always been a pleasure to feed as she enjoys eating healthily and is usually willing to try new tastes. My younger daughter is a typical fussy toddler in many respects, and I enjoy the challenge of finding creative ways to feed her balanced meals and snacks. Do you think we should be punishing our kids if they don't eat their veggies? Parents should aim to provide a calm and relaxed environment during meal times as it can be a great time for families to connect after a busy day. Threats and bribes are counter-productive and will probably backfire, as the aim is to teach and equip children to make good food choices into adulthood and to have a healthy relationship with food. There are also many creative and fun ways to add vegetables to meals that may be more acceptable to some children. For example, try adding grated carrots to a spaghetti bolognaise sauce, or mash butternut or cauliflower into a béchamel sauce for macaroni cheese. Woolworths also has some convenient ready-to-go vegetable options such as our mini-packs of baby carrots and Rosa tomatoes that many children like to dip in a tasty dressing. Do you believe in the old adage: "no dessert until you've cleared your plate?" Children’s appetites vary from day to day, and factors such as growth spurts, activity levels, and poor timing of snacks or drinks can influence their appetites. For small children, it’s recommended that parents dish up small portions of food to begin with, and only offer more once they’ve cleared their plates. Also, try to time meals when your child is not tired and try to avoid distractions like having the television on during meal times. Dessert should be an occasional treat, unless you’re offering fruit! Do you think that kids "know" what they feel like and when? For example, my son will sometimes ask for ice cream for breakfast, but only eat salmon and veggies at night. How much should I be guiding him and telling him what to eat? While children should be entitled to their own tastes and preferences, as parents, we are the gatekeepers to our children’s health as we set boundaries for appropriate eating behaviours. It’s important for us to guide our children to make healthy choices by offering them a variety of good food options. So instead of ice cream for breakfast, why not offer your son a fruit smoothie or yoghurt as a healthy alternative? For toddlers, it’s also useful to monitor the quality of their food intake over a week, rather than judging their intake from meal to meal since their quirks and preferences can be so variable. The daily recommendation is still five (fruit and veg) a day for kids and adults? Realistically, how do we get our kids to eat all that? Studies show that people that eat plenty of fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of developing diseases of lifestyle, such as obesity, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and certain cancers. Since likes and dislikes of food are formed in the first few years of life it’s important to offer children a variety of fruits and vegetables as they are likely to continue eating them through their teenage years and into adulthood. There is no specific guide on portion sizes for children, and this will also vary according to their body size, activity levels and age. As a rough guide, one portion is the amount they can fit in the palm of their hand, but also use your child’s appetite as a guide as to how much their tummies can handle in one sitting. Does it help if I set a good example when it comes to eating? How much of an impact does it make what my child sees me eating? Children learn by example. Research shows that mothers who lead by example, and persuade, rather than force, children to eat their vegetables, have children who make better quality food choices. Parents should seek to provide a healthy food environment, display balanced eating habits, and limit the amount of less desirable foods in the house without making a fuss. In addition, demonstrating a healthy attitude to treat foods eaten in controlled portions and during special occasions is appropriate and sets a good example that no foods are banned or bad. Aside from fruit and veg, what else are a lot of kids missing out on in terms of food/food groups? Vitamins, minerals and fibre are frequently lacking in many highly processed, high fat and refined fast foods. Research has also shown that milk intake has decreased among children and adolescents, with serious health implications due to the replacement thereof with low-nutrient, energy-dense products such as soft drinks and juice. Unless parents are regularly including oily fish such as salmon, pilchards and mackerel, children can easily miss out on this source of omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential fats important for cognitive and behavioural function, particularly in the early years.

Can you recommend great immune-boosting food to keep our kids healthy and away from winter colds and flus It’s important for children to maintain a balanced intake of foods from all food groups to ensure their growing bodies receive all the nutrients they need for optimal development, which includes maintaining a healthy immune system. Keeping well-hydrated with water, rooibos tea, milk and soups also helps to keep the body’s defence system functioning well, for example, the moisture in mucous membranes in the nasal passage creates a protective barrier against potential pathogens. A diet rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and oily fish such as pilchards and sardines and whole grains will also assist in strengthening your child’s defence system. Despite immune-boosting claims some products make, there is no substantial evidence to support that specific vitamins or minerals in foods are immune-boosting as this would be difficult to measure. Can you recommend five healthy yet delish-for-kids snack ideas? Snacks are smaller servings of food consisting of primarily nutritious options that may be enjoyed between meals. Go slow on high energy, sugary and fatty snacks, and keep these for special occasions. Due to growth, development and high activity levels it’s essential for kids to snack, but the emphasis should be on healthy options like these you’ll find at Woolworths:

• Organic mini Yoghurt & Strawberry rice cakes, Salt and Vinegar Popcorn Cakes or Thai Sweet Chilli Flavoured rice snack;
• 25g packets of biltong, 30g mixed nuts and 40g dried fruit and nut strips;
• Low GI Breakfast Bars (42 g);
• Handmade cereal, nut and dried fruit bars (50 g);
• 80g Low Fat Ayrshire flavoured yoghurts
• 90g BBQ or Honey & Mustard chicken fillets 2 Go; and
• Pre-packed vegetable ‘snack packs’ - Rosa tomato, cucumber and carrot or Rosa tomato, cucumber and cheese with hummus (try Woolworths reduced fat or roasted red pepper hummus) or a home-made chutney mayonnaise dip.

 

Win a R500 Woolworths gift card!

To enter to win a R500 Woolworths gift card, simply comment below (your details won't be made public), and name your favourite winter comfort food (there's no right or wrong here).

You don't have to be a mom or parent to enter, the competition closes at midday on 28 June, and the winner will be announced on July 3.