It is necessary to slow down and enjoy the food. However, we find people telling the kids to ‘hurry up and eat!’ at home. Eating slowly is great for weight control, both now and in the future and a fantastic way to show kids that it takes about 20 minutes for the message that they are full to get from their stomachs to their brains. As much as we would love our children to finish their meal in minutes rather than hours, it’s much more important that they learn to slow down and chew their food properly. Encourage them to savour their food – and make it a habit to sit with them while they eat dinner (preferably, eating dinner with them). Chatting with them while they eat, makes dinner an enjoyable social activity. Besides, it’s difficult to talk with your mouth full, so kids will be encouraged to eat more slowly!
