Just call food by it’s name

Just call food by it’s name….I mean all of it - from bananas to bagels; carrots to candy; chicken to chips.

What I’m really asking is for you to imagine what would happen if we dropped all those “other” words and terms we tend to use when talking about food, especially with kids.  Words like “treat”, “healthy” or “junk food”, “unhealthy” “low/high calorie” or “sometimes” foods.

I give clients this advice all of the time.  But “why?” they ask.

Because even though we use these words with the absolute best of intentions, they really are just different ways of labeling foods as “good” and “bad,” right?

If you label chocolate as “unhealthy”, how does it make you feel to eat it?  How do you feel afterward?  Think about it.  

What if you really don’t like the taste of quinoa?  Does calling it “healthy” change that for you? Will it change that for your child?

Do you see where I’m headed here?

Foods that are demonized or considered off-limits can become the “forbidden fruit” and lead to fixation, bingeing, and eating in secret.  Kids can also develop food fears and restrict food when they are worried about eating the “wrong” things. 

I’m seeing a sharp increase in disordered eating and eating disorders among kids and teens.  Though eating disorders are complex and not caused by any one thing, we can reduce the risk for our kids by not elevating one type of food over another. 

All food provides value.  Let’s stop the black and white thinking.   

“But what about nutrition?”,  you say.  I am not endorsing potato chips at every meal.  You absolutely can (and should) have a plan for what you want your family’s overall eating pattern to look like over time.

You can use this Building a Balanced Plate resource as your guide. 

Maybe you envision home cooked meals with lots of colorful veggies. . . okay, but your plan can also include things like take out, fast food, and ice cream. . . . without the harmful guilt, if you stop thinking of these things as “bad”, “unhealthy”, or “junk”.

If you want more tips on what you should quit saying about food and bodies,  listen to this episode of my favorite body positive parenting podcast! 

Check out my Instagram and Facebook for more frequent nutrition know-how.