he childhood years. To decide how much to feed a preschooler, just follow the child's appetite. The caregiver should neither coerce a child to eat nor withhold food. Simply offer healthful food to the child and let the child decide how much of that food to eat. A child may choose not to eat the foods offered for many reasons. Perhaps the child is not hungry or is not feeling well. The child may have an aversion for the food served, or perhaps other happenings in the dining area distract the child from eating. Children sometimes use food as an attempt to exert independence or control over the caregiver by choosing not to eat. In this last case, the child is less likely to continue refusing foods as long as the caregiver makes no issue of the behavior.Little children have little appetites. Some children will fill up on liquids rather than eat the food offered at a meal. Even milk can take the place of other foods to the detriment of overall intake. If this happens put a cup of water alongside the milk so that the child will be encouraged to quench her thirst without satisfying her appetite. Some sweet foods, like soft drinks, punch, candies and popsicles, provide empty calories - calories without any vitamins or other nutrients. It is important to avoid feeding children too many empty calorie foods so that their appetites are not satisfied before they can get in needed nutrients. In addition to their "filling up" on sugary foods, these foods contribute to tooth decay. So it is a good idea to avoid serving too many sweet foods to preschool children. Sodas and other sugary drinks should not be offered in the day care setting. Like sugar, honey can also be classified as an empty calorie food. Contrary to popular belief, there are no nutritional advantages in choosing honey over sugar. Although honey contains some vitamins and minerals that are not available in sugar, the trace amounts of these nutrients are not significant when compared to d...
