{"id":24745,"date":"2026-06-09T14:59:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T20:59:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goldcrownfoundation.com\/?p=24745"},"modified":"2026-06-09T14:59:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T20:59:59","slug":"taking-the-stress-out-of-mealtime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goldcrownfoundation.com\/es\/taking-the-stress-out-of-mealtime\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking The Stress Out Of Mealtime"},"content":{"rendered":"
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What kids eat matters, but how they feel about food matters just as much. Our partners at Children's Hospital Colorado share practical guidance on building consistent meal routines, introducing variety without the battle, and helping the whole family approach the table with a little more ease.<\/p>\n

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Mealtime can be stressful and associated with anxiety for kids and parents alike. We sat down with Annie Benson, a registered dietitian (RD), to discuss a calming approach to food. She explains that your relationship with food is just as important as what you eat.<\/p>\n

Consistency and reliability can help eliminate stress around mealtime<\/h2>\n

Inconsistent meals and snacks throughout the day can lead to a lack of nutrients and imbalanced hunger associated with difficulty sleeping and poorer mental health.\u00a0Benson emphasizes the importance of consistent nutrition and meal patterns.<\/p>\n

For kids, she says consistent meals throughout the day, including three meals and two to three snacks, are crucial for supporting growth and development. It\u2019s important that meals and snacks happen around the same time every day \u2014 irregular eating and skipping meals are associated with increased\u00a0depressive symptoms<\/a>, stress and difficulty with concentration.<\/p>\n

Food variety and flexibility<\/h2>\n

Another thing that can increase stress at mealtimes is a rigid approach to eating. A flexible approach to a variety of food is a great way to start thinking about a balanced diet. But as most parents know, children can be particular when it comes to food, so it\u2019s important to introduce variety at an early age. Keep offering new options so openness to different foods becomes the norm. There are several simple tricks you can try to encourage kids to experience new foods:<\/p>\n