Provide children with utensils that they can handle. Many children are slow in learning how to handle eating utensils correctly. Children learn to eat with utensils through encouragement, praise, and practice, not force or punishment. Plan regular meal and snack times and eat together. Because of their small stomachs and short attention spans, preschool children like to snack.
Most preschoolers eat four to five snacks or meals each day.
Plan snacks as you do meals, as snacks can be an excellent way to get needed nutrients into a child's diet. As a parent or care giver, join children at mealtimes whenever possible. Have a pleasant conversation and set a good example for proper eating behavior at the table. Eating together helps children learn that eating can and should be a pleasurable and enjoyable experience. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans provide a framework for planning nutritious meals for children.