Eating enough? Eating too much?

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Whether you’re on WIC or not You may have questions about feeding your child.

Is your child on WIC? You can talk with your WIC educator about your questions. This includes questions about your child’s weight. You can attend a parents group where you’ll talk with parents and a WIC educator about keeping your child healthy. Read about WIC eligibility here>>

What’s normal?
• Children’s appetites changes from day to day.
• Some days children are hungry, and some days they’re not so hungry.
• Some days children are interested in eating only one food the entire day.
• Some children are happy to try new foods.
• Some children need more time to get used to new food than others.

Tips for feeding your children Your children will eat well if:
• you offer healthy foods several times a day.
• you allow them to eat as much or as little of these foods as they want.
• you respect their choices.
• you keep mealtimes pleasant.
• you show them the ways you eat and enjoy healthy foods.

Your child’s “job” Your child is in charge of deciding how much to eat. Children sometimes decide not to eat anything at all. And that’s OK. They will eat when they’re hungry at the next meal or snack time.

Your “job” Your main job is to offer several kinds of healthy and wholesome food at regular mealtimes and snack times. Children depend on the caring adults in their lives to give them the healthy foods they need.

One more job You have one more job. That is to make mealtime pleasant. When children are relaxed as well as hungry, they are more interested in eating. Aren’t you?

And another job! You have another job. That is teaching by example. When you and your child sit down together for a meal, she sees you eating and enjoying healthy food. She will want to do what you do. That’s how children learn.

Respecting children’s choices When you respect your children’s choices about food, they will eat when they are hungry. They will not eat just because there’s food in front of them. This will become a habit. And they will become healthier.

Don’t forget exercise! Your children will be healthier if they exercise every day. This is true no matter how much they weigh. And if you exercise, they will be more likely to exercise too.

Expensive? Healthy food doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, some of the most nutritious foods are very low-cost. Some healthy low-cost foods are beans, brown rice, corn tortillas, fruit that’s in season, cabbage, carrots, and other vegetables that are in season.

Is your child 3? Read about 3-year-olds here>>

Is your child 4? Read about 4-year-olds here>>