Heading into a new year, it's the perfect time to consider the habits we want to shed in order to make room for new growth! Many of us picked up not-so-helpful mindsets from our own upbringings when it comes to our language around eating and our relationship with food.

So this year, we're flipping the script on a few clichés that hinder our kids' relationships with food, and replacing them with much more effective alternatives:

🥦 "Eat all your veggies, or you can't have dessert."

This is a prime example of a mindset that—often unintentionally—ends up damaging a child's relationship with eating long-term. In the moment, we feel we're prioritizing healthy eating. However, this language actually ends up promoting black-and-white thinking about "bad" foods and "good" foods, rather than nurturing a balanced approach.

Instead, try:

• Offering a favorite dip with the veggies—yep, even if it's something that seems...really weird. (Nothing wrong with ketchup and carrots, as long as they like it!)
  
  

• Presenting different varieties of one veggie like colorful carrots, radishes, or tomatoes. Kids are naturally curious, and may take to one variety more than another!

🍽 "No leaving the table until your plate is clean."

Who else had to do this when they were little? 👋🏼 Sometimes, we're raised to believe that this is the polite or grateful thing to do. But in reality, it's only teaching a child to ignore their natural hunger cues and eat to please an authority figure. Over time, this weakens the skill of intuitive eating.

Instead, try:

• Starting a conversation game at the table where everyone takes a turn, and set the expectation that everyone stays seated until the game is over. You can share your "high" and "low" of the day, talk about something you're grateful for, or share the silliest part of your day. (Chances are, they'll eat as you go.)
  
  

• Saving their leftover dinner for later, if you expect they didn't eat enough. Let them know you saved their dinner in the fridge, and if they get hungry before bedtime they can have the rest.

🤪 "Don't play with your food."

We agree, there's definitely some types of play that just aren't meant for the dinner table. But there are also SO many ways to introduce appropriate play at meal time that doesn't disrupt everyone else's eating.

For many kids, play is just the thing they need to get over picky eating, to willingly try new foods, or to take the pressure off of meal time. Play is how kids learn and absorb everything around them, so why not leverage that for food too?

Instead, try:

• Offering fun toothpicks, chopsticks, or silly utensils for them to eat with.   Sometimes, eating with a fun new tool can solve picky eating in a pinch. See what you have around the house—toothpicks, a big spoon, or tongs—and offer them when you're running into some resistance. It's like magic!
  
  

• Packing their food (breakfast, snacks, dinner—whatever!) in a Snack Spinner  to keep them engaged and empowered to eat independently.
  
  

• Introducing age-appropriate family games that encourage eating. These can be super simple. Have them take a bite while your eyes are closed and guess what they ate, or have them alternate between real and pretend bites to keep you on your toes!

There's so much we can do to work with our children to encouraging healthy, balanced eating. What other habits or mindsets are you leaving behind in 2025?

Here's to trying some new things in 2026, and being patient with them (and ourselves) along the way!