Tag: Mealtime battles

According to the Ellyn Satter Institute, following the Division of Responsibility (sDOR) helps children become competent eaters. The sDOR is a widely respected feeding approach that clearly delineates the roles of parents and children during mealtimes. This method, developed by registered dietitian and family therapist Ellyn Satter, is designed to reduce power struggles and foster a healthy relationship with food.

Research indicates that a significant percentage of children exhibit picky eating habits, causing concern and stress for families. The good news is that a nutritionist can help with picky eaters by providing professional guidance and evidence-based strategies to improve dietary variety and make mealtimes more positive.

Introducing nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods at 6 months, alongside breastfeeding, is crucial for a child's health. Feeding Littles is an online resource from a registered dietitian and an occupational therapist that takes a flexible and responsive approach to this transition.

According to a 2024 assessment, fewer than half of preschoolers met healthy eating benchmarks, leaving many parents to wonder if pushing is the only option. But is it effective, and more importantly, should you force your kids to eat healthy?