5 Ways to Reduce Stress at Mealtime

Have you ever tried to get your kids to eat something, ANYTHING, and they simply refuse? They moan and groan about the options and by the end of the meal everyone is frustrated? I wanted mealtime to be less stressful so I did some research, tried some things out and here are the solutions that work for us!

Have a mealtime routine

Kids thrive on routine. For that matter, HUMANS thrive on routine. We sat down with the kids and came up with a weekly meal plan. We discussed it as a family and everyone had input. They are part of the family too so they get to help decide what we’re going to eat. I explained this to them: what’s important to you matters just as much as what’s important to me. What’s important to me is that the meal is balanced and healthy and what you’ve told me is important to you is that it tastes good and you like it, so let’s sit down and brainstorm some meals that fit in both of those categories. We came up with seven meals together that worked for all of us and they are now on our weekly rotation. By the way, this is also a good way to demonstrate conflict resolution.

Give them options

Our mealtimes generally consist of at least three options. NO GUYS… I don’t mean we make three different meals. Who would even have time for that? What I mean is that we serve a main course, at least one vegetable and one fruit. The kid may not eat everything but that means that there should be SOMETHING on the table that they will eat. There are a couple days of the week that include meals with meat. Since I eat a plant based diet, I make myself something different but the kids are welcome to choose it as an option also.

Model behaviour

Make sure the kids are seeing you eat a healthy balanced diet. Kids want to grow up to be just like their parents and they WATCH what we do in order to learn. If all you eat is junk food, or worse yet, don’t eat regular meals, why would they want to eat good food? Healthy eating habits start with you. We make sure we eat a balanced diet and drink a TON of water in our home! Check out this post for tips drinking more water. Junk food and processed food is not a regular part of my diet, so it’s not a regular part of their diet. I make sure I’m fueling my body with food that will make it feel good and give me the nutrients I need throughout the day.

Let it go

Sometimes kids aren’t hungry. This can be very frustrating. Guess what? Sometimes adults aren’t hungry. It happens. Let it go. They won’t starve themselves.

Be consistent

Be consistent – Don’t give up if what you’re trying isn’t working. It takes kids up to 8 times of trying something before they really know if they don’t like it. Encourage them to try new things several times before making a decision. Kids need consistency, not only in nutrition, but also in life. This is different than perfection. It’s ok to have off days or do something different occasionally.

Parenting is frustrating by nature because, you know, it involves kids. There are things you can do to make mealtimes easier on your family. Have a routine. Eventually this will become habit for them. Give them options. Humans like having options. Model behaviour. Demonstrate the same nutritional habits you want them to have. They are watching your every move. Let it go. Just let some stuff slide. It’s not the end of the world. Be consistent. Consistent doesn’t mean inflexible. Consistent means more often than not. Don’t aim for perfection because you will be sadly dissapointed. We also make this time to practice gratitude and discuss our day with each other.

What other solutions have you implemented for your mealtimes that work for your family? Tell me about them in the comments below!