It's never too early to foster your child's positive relationship with food, Cadillac said. Lead by example by cooking and eating healthy meals together that include an abundance of veggies and fruits and not a lot of processed foods. Don't label foods as "good" or "bad," but instead explain how eating healthy foods will make them feel energetic and prevent them from getting sick. Also teach them that balance is important, which means enjoying treats, too.
Teach them that food is nourishing and enjoyable, and use mealtimes to discuss relaxing, pleasant topics like something funny that happened that day or something they're excited to do tomorrow. Show how important it is to listen to their hunger and fullness clues, Cadillac said. Don't use food as a reward or a punishment, and try not to make comments about how much they're eating or make them "clean their plate" — trust that they can honour their own body's needs.
Be mindful of the messages you could be sending that may support diet culture. Are you counting calories, restricting carbs, yo-yo dieting, exercising off food, using food as a reward, or flipping through beauty magazines that flaunt "perfect" bodies? Your child will pick up on that. If you're struggling with your own relationship with food and your body, working with an intuitive-eating registered dietitian can help you take on the healthy habits you want to model for your kiddos to prevent them from getting sucked down the dieting hole.
If your child is old enough, talk openly about how some people think bodies should look a certain way or be a certain size and that some people will do harmful things to their bodies, just so they can look that way. Talk about the dangers of dieting and how it can lead to binge eating or other eating disorders, depression, fatigue, and ultimately long-term weight gain, Manley said. Explain why it's so important to fuel themselves properly so they can do the things they love and be healthy.