It can be very difficult for parents to know what portions to feed their children. On the one hand you don’t want them being hungry during the school day, but of course with obesity on the increase in Ireland you want to be careful that you aren’t giving them too much either.
- Use a smaller lunchbox. This is a very simple way to cut down your portion. You will find that if you give your children a smaller lunch box, you will feel less pressure to fill it.
- Eat slowly. Advise children to spend a little more time chewing their food and to eat a little slower. Your body needs time to receive the signal that you are full so if you eat slower you won’t eat as much. Teach your children to take their time eating.
- Give them fruit. Rather than giving your children unhealthy snacks for break time, give them grapes, apple pieces or some other handy fruit. This is a great way of ensuring they get some of their 5-a-day, and will mean that they fill up on the good stuff before lunch time.
- Never eat until you are full. Be sure that your children are aware of when to stop. Teach them that it will take 20 minutes for your body to register you are full. If you eat until you feel full it means you’ve eaten too much.
- Buy food that is packaged in individual portions. This is a great way of controlling your portions rather than eating from bigger packs, and is a great addition to pop into the lunchbox.
