When children approach their tween years, between age 9 and 11, it can be increasingly difficult for parents to entice them to eat healthy foods. Tweens are more likely to verbalize their dislike of certain foods and offer rebuttals against healthy advice. It's important for parents to be patient and focus on educating their tween children on foods and how nutrition positively and negatively affects their bodies.
Step 1
Be patient and try not to get emotional, recommends Careforthefamily.org. If a child has a preconceived notion about a certain type of food or eating habits, it's important for parents to understand the source of the child's feelings before offering a new perspective or viewpoint.
Step 2
Reiterate the importance of eating meals consistently. Particularly for tween girls, they are more self-conscious about their bodies and may try to manage their weight by skipping meals. Youngwomenshealth.org advises that the key to maintaining a healthy weight is eating three balanced meals within healthy snacks in between, each day.
Step 3
Teach your child about moderation. There is no such thing as a "good" or "bad" food, states Youngwomenshealth.org. While some foods may be healthier than others, treats can be enjoyed every now and then when eaten in moderation with controlled portions.
Step 4
Engage the tween in preparing meals. Tweens may be more likely to be critical of certain meals when they don't understand the ingredients or how they are prepared. This also provides an opportunity for parents to spend time with their tweens to discuss issues which may be influencing their eating habits unconsciously.
Step 5
Teach your tween how to make simple, healthy snacks, thereby empowering them to eat healthier on their own when hungry instead of reaching for less healthy snacks. It helps to have the ingredients for simple healthy snacks always available in the kitchen and reduce the amount of junk food.
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