Children
Healthy eating habits
The development of healthy eating habits is the responsibility of both you and your child.
Parents and caregivers are responsible for deciding:
- what food is served,
- when food is served, and
- where food is served.
Your child is responsible for deciding:
- how much they eat, and
- whether they eat at all.
Tips to build healthy eating habits:
- Eat together as a family as often as possible.
- Offer your child a variety of foods in different flavours, textures and colours from each food grouping found in Canada's Food Guide.
- Offer 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks each day.
- Snacks should include 2 out of the 3 food groupings.
- Serve smaller portions for younger children.
- Let your child ask for more if they are still hungry.
- Include your child in choosing, preparing, growing, and picking food.
- Keep mealtimes pleasant and relaxed.
Some healthy snack examples include:
- Vegetable sticks and hummus
- Fruit cups with cheese slices
- Apple slices with peanut butter
- Banana slices in milk
- Dry cereal with fruit
Healthy foods that are higher in fat, such as breastmilk, cheese, avocado and nut butters make good snack foods too as they provide energy and other nutrients your growing child needs.
Whole cow's milk |
If your family does not drink cow's milk, offer a soy beverage fortified with vitamin D. Fortified soy milk is very similar in nutrient content to cow's milk. Other plant-based beverages, such as almond, hemp, rice and coconut milks do not contain the same amount of nutrients as cow's milk or fortified soy beverage. Consult with your child's health care provider before offering your child one of these plant-based beverages. |
Salt and sugar |
| Enjoy the natural taste of your food, when cooking meals at home. If choosing prepackaged and prepared foods, read and compare the Nutrition Facts table on food labels and choose foods lower in salt (i.e., sodium) and sugar. The ingredient list on food labels can use different words for added sugar or salt. |
Juice |
| Fruit juice and sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, fruit drinks, punches and sports drinks often appeal to children, but they can cause dental decay and quickly fill up small stomachs. Offer water regularly to satisfy thirst, instead of fruit juice or sweetened beverages. |
Want to know if your child is eating well?
Complete Nutri-eSTEP to learn what is going well with your child's eating and activity habits, and what could be improved.
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