Understanding Preteen Eating Patterns

Preteens (kids aged ten to 13 years old) often display definite likes and dislikes when it comes to food. They can be quite tempted by junk food. thanks to being surrounded by messages from the media that make sugary, fatty or refined foods look delicious.

This age group also is hard to stop from snacking mindlessly between meals, especially while they are watching television.

One characteristic that your child might start to display at this age to a greater display is eating to comfort oneself. This is because a child this day may not know how to deal with approaching puberty, hormones and feelings about the opposite sex.

One pattern that could emerge is the one where your pre-teen eats to 'stuff down anger.' This is a hard-wired response to feeling anger that is satiated by the feeling of eating high calorie, salty foods.

Children from ages ten to 13 years old need to eat three sit-down square meals a day and at least three snacks a day to stay healthy. However some of these children may experience a big growth spurt that requires them to constantly be snacking. This is okay as long as the kid is not gaining a great deal of weight and as long as he or she is snacking on healthy foods.

Most preteens are happiest eating three meals a days. Studies have shown that kids who eat healthy meals at home are more likely to choose healthy snacks outside the home. That means saying ‘no’ to greasy chips and sugary candies.

You should also bag your child's lunch. Like play age kids, your preteen is vulnerable to the temptations at local fast food joints and has more expendable income of his own.

If your child must buy lunch then make sure he or she can make the right food choices. One way to control how your adolescent spends money on food is to give them a prepaid debit card; this will give you a good idea of how much they are eating and when they are eating.

Just as a brief recap preteens need to –
• Eat regularly
• Stay away from junk food
• Avoid excess salt and sugar
• Make sure they are getting enough calcium through food sources
• Make sure they are getting enough Vitamin D

The amount of food a child should eat from each food group on a daily basis is determined by his age, sex and physical activity level.

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Tips for Feeding Preteens

A Preteen is usually defined as being a kid that is between to 10 to 13 years old. The good news is that most kids are just lovely during these years and being naturally active they will eat anything on their plate.

However some preteens might be pickier because they have actually slowed down growing a bit. If the child eats less, it might simply biological. However if there is a lot of emotional drama going on around the food then you might have some problems.

1.
If your child is picky about eating food realize it might be more about you than the food …ego struggles are likely at this age. Patience and non-resistance is key.

2.
Do not be surprised if your child is a binge eater or craves one particular food. As long as it is not an unhealthy food like sugar you should indulge the craving.

3.
Train your child to eat eight servings of antioxidant laden fruit and vegetables a day by eating by color!

4.
Do not be surprised if your preteen starts talking about becoming a vegetarian; this is a 'hot topic' around the first decade of life and should be encouraged as long as your child gets all of the vitamins they need in supplements (especially B12 which is only found in meat.)

5.
Discourage your teen from being an emotional eater; explain how food should not be used to abate extreme feelings or avoid dealing with reality.

6.
Be aware of the signs of anorexia and bulimia and get your pre-adolescent help quickly if you suspect self-image problems; even though these are disorders that are more associated with teenagers they can start a very young age.

7.
Reward your child financially or otherwise somehow if they resist the temptation to eat in the school cafeteria and take a brown bag to lunch

8.
Continue to take your child shopping and encourage him or her to read nutritional labels and try new foods

9.
Encourage your child to cook meals for the family; in some areas of the country you can even send your ten year old to a cooking and nutrition class. Usually these types of classes advertise through a Learning Annex or extended education brochure.

10.
Your child can read and learn from online sources at this point so be sure to take advantage of interactive tools on the internet that might encourage him or her to pay more attention to her health.

Above all be patient, understanding and talk to your kids. Understanding where they are at goes a long way towards helping them develop life-long healthy eating patterns.

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