Along with selecting and preparing the right foods, families can eat together as often as possible, at least once a day. The following recommendations can help you and your family develops good eating habits.
Chew foods thoroughly. Chewing is essential for good health. We recommend chewing each mouthful until it becomes liquid, as many as fifty times or more. Teach children how to chew properly while they are young. As they grow older, remind them from time to time that chewing is good for them. Parents, be aware that your practice of good chewing, healthful eating, and other positive health habits serves as an ongong example for your children.
Eat only when hungry. Children and older family members may eat whenever they want to and may enjoy natural wholesome snacks from time to lime, but it is better to avoid habitual overeating.
Eat in an orderly manner. Encourage everyone in the family, including children, to treat food with love and care. Eat only when sitting and encourage children to be calm during meals and not to eat while standing, walking, running, or playing, or while involved in other activities such as watching television. Everyone may eat regularly two to three times per day, as much as they want, provided each meal includes the correct proportions of food and each mouthful is chewed thoroughly. Children may eat more frequently when necessary and may enjoy natural snacks from time to time, but again, try to discourage overeating. Habitual snacks can interfere with the eating of more regular and nutritionally complete meals.
Leave the table when you feel satisfied-do not wait until you are full. To prevent wasting food, avoid overloading children's plates. Instead serve the approximate amount of food that they can finish. Additional servings can be given as needed or requested. Adults are also advised to avoid leaving food on their plate.
Drink comfortably but not excessively. Children may drink a slightly larger amount of liquid than adults, but excessive or habitual drinking should generally be discouraged. Do not be inflexible about the quantity that children drink. If they are thirsty, allow them to drink as desired. At the same time, parents should find and eliminate whatever it is that is causing the excessive thirst.
For optimum health, it is best for adults to avoid eating three hours before sleeping. Going to bed shortly after eating causes stagnation in the intestines, sluggish digestion, inefficient absorption, and accumulation of excess throughout the body. Children may eat a little bit closer to bedtime, but for optimum health, it is better for them to avoid eating just before sleeping, except of course for nursing infants.