We have lots of parties on the weekend, how do we manage to eat healthily as a family?

Children have a lot of parties to attend, which may make it seem hard to establish healthy eating patterns. These tips can help you navigate busy social times:

• Make sure you feed your child as usual leading up to the party, and don’t restrict meals or food. It is important to continue to model healthy eating habits both prior to, during and after the party. Let your child’s appetite guide their eating after the party. They may not feel like much for dinner, or be a little less hungry the next day, that is OK.
• All food is good food, it is about balance. Treat foods can be eaten sometimes, we choose foods from the five core food groups most of the time. These are; fruit, vegetables, meat and meat alternatives, dairy and dairy alternatives and grains/cereals. They give us fuel and energy for learning, playing and growing.
• Honour the appetite. Discuss what if feels like to feel hungry & full (the concept of the happy tummy vs a sore and unhappy tummy when overfull). By learning these cues, your child will learn to let their appetite be the guide. This will help to prevent overconsumption of party food.
• Provide a positive food environment for your children at home, and aim to keep the talk around food and eating positive. There is no such thing as bad food.
• Make the change: when planning your children’s parties, choose healthier food options, you will be impacting the health of those around you too & reducing your carbon footprint with less processed options.
• Plan healthy lunchboxes, see our tips here;

By Emma McShane, Dietitian. Edited by Nicole Bando, APD & IBCLC