Teaching Children to Make “Healthy Choices” Empowering children through language Foods Kids Choose If young children are taught early and practice healthy choices, they will make better food choices as they grow up. Preschoolers, however, have more decision-making power when requesting snacks than meals. Parents usually decide what is served at meals and children are sometimes served breakfast and/or lunch in preschool programs. Thus, snack times may be eating occasions where children can ask for specific foods. Language Matters While preschoolers may know and use the term “healthy”, they cannot explain reasons for choosing healthy foods or where they get their ideas about health from 1 . They have a tough time understanding complex ideas such as “healthy” or “good” 2 . Simple terms like “good for you” can also be confusing for a preschooler. For example, to the preschooler, if a food tastes good, the child may consider it to be “good” despite its nutritional value. They don’t yet understand the difference between “tastes good” and “good for you”. Adults understand the difference based on the setting in which it is used. Therefore, using the terms 'good' and 'bad' to describe a food to a preschooler should focus on taste, not nutritional value or health. The use of terms ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ can be taught using intentional language that is simple for young children. • Healthy foods are foods that “help keep my heart, muscles and bones strong”. • Unhealthy foods are foods that “do not help keep my heart, muscles and bones strong, even if they taste good”. Eating Smart An EEO/AA Institution