The other night we had burgers for dinner. We made some patties with cheese and some plain. Then I put out pickles and a choice of sauces: ketchup, mustard, and BBQ. I also served french fries and broccoli. And as dinner unfolded I was given the reminder, keep offering not requiring.
How much should my child be eating? Lately, I've been getting a lot of questions about portion sizes for children. Parents are concerned their child is eating too much or too little. This is understandable because physicians, government agencies, and packages tell you how much you should eat. Therefore, it's normal to look to external sources for the answer. In answer to your question, How much should my child be eating? --> As much as they choose to eat. Now, before you run off, let me explain what I mean and give you some practical guidelines.
If you're like me, you probably have a lot of different food preferences and styles of eating within your family. Someone is adventurous. Someone more selective. One kid likes sauces. The other only plain food. One person won't touch a vegetable. Another asks for more broccoli.
I want to share with you a little bit about the basic feeding philosophy that I subscribe to and help my clients adopt in their families every day. I recommend the Division of Responsibility (DOR) because it helps ALL children. The DOR is a feeding approach developed by Ellyn Satter, a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Social Worker. It designates the feeding and eating responsibilities for parents and children.
I was sitting across the kitchen table looking at three plates, basically untouched, thinking to myself, "Really? Why do I even bother to make dinner?" They were loaded with spaghetti, broccoli, bread, and watermelon. As the chairs around the table emptied, the plates were still full. Can you relate? Please tell me you can! I often work so hard to put a meal together, one that I think my kids will enjoy, and maybe even one they have previously devoured, but instead of being gobbled down with a big "Yumm", it's dumped in the garbage.
