Avoid the “clean your plate” club

Has anyone ever encouraged you to eat past fullness? Perhaps as a child you had to eat everything on your plate before being excused. Or maybe you had to clean your plate in order to “earn” dessert. Unfortunately, these well-intentioned dinnertime rules teach us to disregard our body’s satiety signals and often lead to overeating.

God designed our hunger and satiety signals to help us give our bodies the right amount of fuel. It’s important for children to recognize and trust those signals. Here are tips you can talk about as a family to keep everyone mindful of eating “just enough, but not too much.”

Eat slowly. If you wolf down your food, you may overeat before your brain sends the “I’m full” signal.

Be aware of how your tummy feels. As soon as you feel the slightest bit full, stop eating. Take a break, look around, talk with your meal companions, or take sips of water. Use those minutes to decide whether you still feel hunger or are actually full.

Save it for later. It’s okay to stick your plate in the fridge and eat the rest at another meal or for a snack, when you’re truly hungry.

Mealtime is about fueling your body properly and interacting with your dining companions, not cleaning the plate. Enjoy eating with your family and friends.

Beth Bence Reinke, MS, RD (registered dietitian)

Comments

Avoid the “clean your plate” club — 6 Comments

Crystal Bowman on April 12, 2012 at 11:00 am said:

What a great blog, Beth! This so important to know in today’s society filled with obesity. I hope lots of parents read this!

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- Beth Reinke on April 12, 2012 at 10:31 pm said:
  
  Yes, Crystal, sadly even many children are on the road to obesity. If only we would get in the habit of listening to our satiety signals when we’re young! “;o)
  
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Janice D. Green on April 12, 2012 at 10:56 pm said:

This makes a really good point. How many of us grew up being reminded about the starving children in China if we didn’t eat everything on our plates? …as if by eating everything we were saving them.

I really got in trouble with my weight as a teacher one year – teachers got extra food and I thought I should set a good example for my students by eating everything on my plate. I had to do some re-thinking.

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- Beth Bence Reinke on April 13, 2012 at 9:01 am said:
  
  Thankfully, Janice, it’s never too late to work on changing our habits. I’m grateful for that! “;o)
  
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Cheryl C. Malandrinos on April 13, 2012 at 8:59 am said:

Excellent post, Beth. I don’t eat past fullness, so why should I expect my kids to do it. Healthy habits now will help them later.

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- Beth Bence Reinke on April 13, 2012 at 9:02 am said:
  
  Sounds like you’re setting a great example for your children, Cheryl! “;o)
  
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