Children, well fed

and Martina Feichter, medical editor and biologist

Martina Feichter studied biology with an elective subject pharmacy in Innsbruck and also immersed herself in the world of medicinal plants. From there it was not far to other medical topics that still captivate her to this day. She trained as a journalist at the Axel Springer Academy in Hamburg and has been working for since 2007 - first as an editor and since 2012 as a freelance writer.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

The morning theater

"Milk is disgusting!", "I don't like the cheese sandwich!" or "I want to ...", some children grumble on a tour and stamp their feet on the ground. Who does not know that? Healthy eating is not exactly interesting for children. And what other mums cook always tastes better anyway. However, the delicacies advertised with cool slogans in the advertising taste best.

Sometimes it is not easy to empathize with children. Parents usually mean well, but children think and feel very differently. "Children - healthy eating", how do you make it easy (er)?

Bring variety to the table

Do you like everything yourself? Definitely not. You should therefore also allow your child to say "no" to certain foods. They may refuse pure milk and cheese, but resort to cocoa and yogurt. Both also provide the calcium, which is important for the bones - just like sesame, by the way.

But before you accept that your child does not like a food, it should at least have tried it. However, you shouldn't apply pressure when doing this, otherwise you will achieve the opposite: Your child will get attention, he will increase his defensive attitude and maybe at some point a power game will develop. Defiance and no phases are part of the normal development of a child. Praise and encouragement stabilize certain behavior, while scolding and disregard make it less common. Don't let yourself be provoked. For example, if your child rejects carrots today, try again later. It means: always offer again and be a role model yourself! What is often on the table is usually also eaten with pleasure: Humans are creatures of habit.

Under no circumstances should you give your child something sweet (like bars or cookies) in between meals, even if they defiantly refused a part of the last main meal. The snack satisfies the hunger, and with the next meal the theater starts all over again. If your child is really hungry in between, fruit or yoghurt are the means of choice.

Eating - together and in peace

Sometimes the family is out all day. It is all the more important that everyone gets together to eat once a day. Eating, talking, laughing together - this increases the desire to eat and promotes an intact family life. Eating and drinking are a pleasure and should be fun. If your child doesn't want to: It often helps to have a beloved plush toy playfully do exactly what you want your child to do. Small children in particular prefer to watch their cuddly animals behave rather than watch their parents.

Main meals are fixed points that provide a time orientation. Children need order, rituals and rhythm because they provide security. Rest plays an equally important role. Make sure the table is really set before you call for dinner. The child should be able to concentrate on the food, which is impossible if you still have to pick up missing things all the time.

It has been known since Maria Montessori that children learn best through concentrated observation without words. Too much talk to the child and constant explanations disturb the concentration. Watching TV while eating is also a taboo!

A cozy table atmosphere also invites you to stay longer and take time to eat. This is important because the stomach can only signal whether it is sufficiently full 15 to 20 minutes after starting to eat.

"Learn" to eat

"What Hans doesn't learn, Hans never learns": Nutritional education begins in infancy. The longer an infant has been breastfed, the less likely it is that the child will later become overweight. Breastfeeding children let go of the breast when they are full. They learn to scream in order to get something pleasant: the mother comes and calms down, changes the full diaper or gives the breast or bottle. However, if the baby is pacified with a bottle every time it screams, it learns to suppress or suppress anything unpleasant with soothing food and drink. This is the first building block for obesity.

Traditional nutrition education emphasized the "how", for example table manners and eating. Today it is mostly a matter of choosing the right food from the rich range of foods (see below) and not consuming too large portions. Let your child decide how much they eat. Children still have a functioning, natural feeling of satiety. You should get a small portion on your plate first and you can add it at any time. Don't force your child to eat, leave something left on the plate. Every child is sometimes more and sometimes less hungry. A child who eats poorly for a short period of time is rarely a cause for concern. It is also possible that your child suddenly feels a blessed appetite and for days eats more than what he needs. So it doesn't have to get thick for a long time, maybe it is in a growth phase. You should only talk to your pediatrician if your eating habits are noticeably different over a longer period of time.

Your child can also help with shopping. Together, think about which groceries you want to buy and what to eat later. With older children, you can study the ingredient list on the foods. Your child may even want to help with cooking or setting the table. Children often want to make their parents happy, for example to surprise them with a set breakfast table - but you must have taught them to do so beforehand.

Ready meals should rarely be on the menu so that you know what the family is actually eating. Meals that you prepare yourself from the freshest possible ingredients are healthier and contain no additives or flavorings. It can be a lot of fun to prepare simple dishes yourself with the child. Washing fruit and raw vegetables (which child doesn't like to play on the tap?) And chopping them up are great experiences for the child. It also trains the senses when the child notices that, for example, they cry when onions are cut. Preschoolers in particular are particularly curious and like to try new things. There are no limits to the variety of fruit and vegetables. And dishes that you have eaten yourself must taste good. Maybe they'll get a funny name like "Pippi Longstocking Salad" or "Klabautermenu"?

The right choice of food

The abundant supply of food does not make it easy for many parents to choose food. Children are still growing and need a certain minimum amount of energy and nutrients. The Research Institute for Child Nutrition in Dortmund recommends that you have plenty of plant-based foods and beverages, that you only have moderate consumption of animal-based foods and that you use foods that are rich in fat and sugar sparingly.

A warm meal a day with fresh potatoes, brown rice or wholemeal noodles and vegetables (cooked, raw vegetables or salad) should be the minimum. Combine the meal with a little meat two to three times a week, and fish once a week. Vegetarian meals made from legumes or grains, for example as stews, casseroles or patties, are also welcome.

The other two main meals can be cold and often consist of bread or muesli combined with low-fat milk and milk products, sausage, fruit or raw vegetables. Offer children a drink with every meal: energy-free or low-energy drinks such as drinking water, mineral water, unsweetened herbal or fruit teas or highly diluted juice spritzers.

Two snacks between meals such as bread, a dairy product or fruit round off the daily menu. A plate with bite-sized cut fruit invites you to grab it. Every now and then pastries, cakes or sweets as a snack are also okay. Because: what is forbidden irritates children (and adults) even more. They nibble secretly and completely excessively. Eating sweets in moderation, on the other hand, has their place in a balanced diet.

After the first year of life, children can take part in family dinners. There is no need for special products for children or nutrient-enriched foods. Critical minerals and vitamins in children are vitamin D, calcium, folic acid, and iodine. They are often missing in the food. Season with salt, which contains iodine and folic acid, from time to time - especially when there are no fresh herbs and spices available.

Sentences that help ...

When a child experiences only negative criticism, they learn to judge.
When a child experiences hostility, they learn to fight ruthlessly.
When a child is mocked, they learn to be shy.
When a child lives in fear, they learn to worry.
When a child is instilled with guilt or shame, they learn to feel guilty.
When a child experiences tolerance, they learn to be patient.
When a child is encouraged, they learn to be confident.
When a child is accepted, they learn to love.
When a child is approved, their self-confidence grows.
When a child is recognized, they learn that having a purpose is good.
When a child is treated honestly, they learn what the truth is.
If a child is impartial, he will learn justice.
If a child is not unsettled, they learn to trust themselves and others.
When a child experiences kindness, they learn that the world is a beautiful place where it is worth living, loving and being loved.