Children eating differently to parents at mealtimes

THE generation gap has spread to the dinner table, with increasing numbers of children eating different meals from their parents every day.

According to a survey, one-in-four children now eat child-pleasing foods like pizza, burgers and chips for their evening meal, while their parents dine on more traditional fare such as meat, fish, stews and vegetables.

The meal-time divide is all the more noticeable in urban families, where almost one-in-three children are given an alternative menu to their mothers and fathers. By contrast, only one-in-six children in rural areas are served up a different dish.

The trend is causing concern among nutritionists, who fear the time pressure felt by modern families is pushing parents into over-reliance on convenience foods — especially where they don’t have the time or energy to deal with a fussy eater.

Nutritionist and dietician, Dr Mary McCreery, warned that bad habits formed at the dinner table early on could lead to a life-long battle with weight and health problems.

“We understand that time is a significant influence on eating habits, especially with longer working hours and commuting times involved, but it is essential for parents to recognise that they play an enormous part in shaping their children’s eating habits,” she said.

“The eating patterns and food preferences children form when they are young have many long-term effects. Establishing healthy eating habits in childhood can reduce the risk of several life-threatening health conditions, including obesity, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, cancer, and osteoporosis.”

The survey was carried out for the food and drinks industry body, the Nutrition and Health Foundation (NH), which has compiled a list of tips to help parents with their daily dining dilemmas.

* Stick to the traditional rule of providing three square meals a day.

* Eat together whenever possible.

* Avoid giving your children a different evening meal to yourselves.

* Introduce as much variety as possible and encourage children to be adventurous in trying new foods.

* Never use food as a reward or punishment.

* Keep to a regular time schedule for meals.