| Nutrition Homework for the Family |
| Small, positive steps can all make a difference. | | |  | Try to eat meals together – this is where we can talk and educate each other about different foods and how they can help us to grow, enough energy for play and to concentrate on getting the homework done in gig-time! |
| | Remember actions speak louder than words. Show your child how much you enjoy nutritious foods yourself. |
| | Slow eaters may need gentle encouragement but don’t get into the habit of spoon feeding children who can feed themselves. |
| | Try to avoid telling your children to “take one more bite” or “clean your plate” when they’re full. |
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| Young children may need to be offered a new food 8 to 10 times before they will accept it, yet the majority of parents with fussy eaters (53%) give up offering a new food if the child has not accepted it after 2 or 3 attempts – so the message is PERSEVERE but don’t pressurize. |
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| Devise a healthy snack list with your children. Stick it on the refrigerator. |
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| Teach your children to cook. |
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| Assign children a “kids rule” night where they are in charge of menu planning, cooking and clean-up. |
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| Involve your children at the supermarket by giving them a list of foods to find. Add a few unusual foods to the list each time (for example, avocado, kale or hummus). |
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| Encourage your children to play outside whenever feasible. Play with them whenever you can! |
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| On the weekend, live life instead of watching it on TV. Find a new place to hike, bike or walk. Find an indoor swimming pool that you can use all year long. |
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| Discuss food advertising with your child. |
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| Teach your child how to read and understand the information on food labels. |
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| Study a different culture and learn more about their lifestyle and eating habits. Or study Irish food habits over the years. Interview an older relative or visit the library or bookstore for authentic ethnic recipes and then prepare some new dishes together. |
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| Enjoy eating a variety of foods! |
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| Outside the home |
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| Ask your school to draw up a nutrition policy that promotes a healthy school environment. The policy should cover several issues, including school lunches and the use of sweets and bars as a reward in the classroom, tuck shops etc. |
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| Be the parent who speaks up about the nutritional quality of “treats” served after games and training. Suggest a list of nutritious snack and drinks. |
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| Ask your school if they can adjust the schedule to offer more supervised lunch time. Children eat better when they’re not rushed. |
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| Teach your child about agriculture by visiting local farms and farmer's markets. Stock up on locally grown produce as often as possible. |
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