By: Carly Adames
Toddlers and preschoolers are frequently known to be picky eaters. Parents and caregivers sometimes worry their child may not be eating enough, and may thus provide less-than-ideal foods that have little nutritional content so long as the child will eat them. The struggle can become tiring.
We have all heard of the obesity crisis, and along with the increasing number of obese American citizens, we’ve witnessed the rapid increase in production of processed, genetically modified foods that are high in sugar and fat and are conveniently packaged/easy to grab on the go.
For children with smaller appetites who are well within their weight range and who are overall healthy, obesity and nutrition may not be a concern at the forefront of the minds of parents. After all, at least they are eating and getting the calories they need…right??
Aside from a child’s weight and health, there are other important factors to consider when it comes to the diets of young children. For example, studies have shown that children who had iron and zinc deficiencies during the first two years of life appear to have long term, significant impacts on children’s attention and mood.
In a preschool setting, I’ve witnessed patterns of children exhibiting negative behaviors at the same time every day such as hitting, becoming restless, having a tantrum, or becoming angry. One of the factors we consider in understanding the trigger for the behavior is the child’s eating habits and blood sugar levels—not a trigger most would expect. (Think of adults becoming “hangry.” A tantrum is a three-year-old’s equivalent.) Surprisingly, I’ve witnessed on several occasions the drastic change in children’s behavior simply by the parent providing a different snack. For example, a child whose snack was typically fruit snacks, crackers, or cookies was given veggies and protein instead such as hummus, sunflower butter, or low-fat cheese. Of course, at first, the child resisted even trying it. However, with patience and continued exposure, the child eventually ate it. The radical change in the child’s behavior was astounding.
We can imagine how snacks and meals with refined sugars or enriched white flour affect the mood of children by considering how high-sugar foods make us feel as adults. Most of us have experienced the “crash” after eating heavy or sugary foods—feeling lethargic, tired, bloated, heartburn, or constipation due to unstable blood sugar. Eating too much of these foods or not eating enough nutrient-dense healthy foods frequently can affect our mood and make us feel rather grumpy. Then, why would we expect these foods not to trigger the same effects in children?
Research has linked unstable blood sugar levels in children to problems such as the inability to sit still or focus (restlessness), difficulty listening or following directions, irritability, anger/lashing out, increased anxiety, constipation, and tantrums.
Nutritionists recommend including protein at breakfast to avoid these behaviors and recommend snacks that include protein and veggies to stabilize blood sugar over a long period of time. Quite often, in preschool, it is not uncommon to see children’s meals and snacks composed of primarily refined carbohydrates and sugary foods, such as pasta, white bread, muffins, donuts, bagels, pizza, chips, crackers, cookies, fruit snacks, etc. Most children prefer to eat these types of foods and enjoy them. Particularly with picky eaters, parents may feel it’s a success for their child to eat; they may not be opposed to serving their child a diet filled with these types of foods.
Not only is it important to consider the nutrition needed for healthy and growing bodies, but consider the positive changes in your child’s behavior and cognition you may witness with a healthier, nutrient-dense diet. Try revamping your child’s lunch and snack to include these items, and gradually remove the sugary items. We’d love to hear from you to hear if you notice a difference in your child’s behavior, especially during those staple times during the day when your child may routinely become cranky, angry, or grumpy. A healthy diet not only supports children’s physical health but supports their overall wellbeing and socioemotional learning and development.
