Nutrition is a huge topic in pretty much every household that has kids.
We all want happy, healthy children — ones who eat their veggies, love good food, and grow up with better eating habits than we might have had ourselves. I know parents who’ve completely changed their lifestyles once their babies arrived, just to make sure they’re giving them the best start possible.
So yes, it’s important. But my big question as a new mum was this:
How do I actually give my child a balanced, healthy diet without going to extremes?
I didn’t want to raise Gabriel in a bubble where he only had healthy food and never tasted chocolate. But I also didn’t want him eating junk just because “that’s what kids do.”
I just wanted something balanced. A way of eating that felt natural, sustainable — and honestly, something I had to learn myself as an adult, since I never really had it growing up.
What Our Family Eats in a Day 🥗
I’m lucky that my husband is really knowledgeable about nutrition, so even before Gabriel came along, we were eating quite well. Nothing too fancy or complicated — just wholesome meals, decent portions, and some flexibility.
Here’s an example of what a typical day looks like for us (quantities for me):
- Breakfast: Two boiled eggs with oats, bread, or cereal. We try to keep it on the savoury side in the mornings to avoid sugar cravings throughout the day.
- Morning snack: A piece of fruit — an apple or banana, something easy.
- Lunch: Rice and chicken breast, sometimes with veggies, beans, or a fresh salad.
- Afternoon snack: Fruit again or some cereal with milk.
- Dinner: Something like potatoes, pasta, or rice with minced beef or chicken breast.
My husband eats very similarly, just in larger portions. And yes, we do have sweet treats or junk food— especially on weekends. I have a sweet tooth which doesn’t allow me to go without it too much. 😅
What About Gabriel? 🤔
From around the age of one, when Gabriel could chew more easily, we started including him in our meals.
Nothing special or separate — just our family’s food, adjusted for him. Smaller portions, softer textures, and tweaks like shredding the chicken more finely and using milder sauces.
We’ve made a conscious effort to create a healthy lifestyle for ourselves, then bring him into it — not the other way around. It’s not perfect how we eat but we are consistent. 🧗♀️
Now… I’m not going to sit here and tell you he loves broccoli and eats everything on his plate.
Let’s be real — he’s almost three which means some days he’s picky, some days he eats like a champ, and some days we’re just trying to get some food down his stomach.
We’ve learned a few tricks along the way which I recommend you try to do too. For example:
- He loves cheese. So if I sprinkle a bit on top of his food, suddenly he’s more interested.
- In the past he loved olives so when we were noticing that he didn’t want to eat we added them to his meal and he would eat better.
The trick is: find what they like and use it creatively.
And be ready for it to change. Right now it’s cheese and olives. Last month it was just olives. Next week? Who knows. Kids are unpredictable, and we just have to adapt.
What Not to Do (Learn From My Mistakes!) ⛔️
One thing I really wouldn’t recommend is bribing.
You know the classic: “If you eat your vegetables, you’ll get chocolate!”
I tried this (especially with tooth brushing which is our biggest struggle) — and let me tell you, it was a disaster. You go down this rabbit hole of negotiations, and I promise you, these tiny humans are the most skilled negotiators you’ll ever meet. You will lose.
We definitely have days where he doesn’t eat well at all. Sometimes dinner turns into a sandwich with meat and mayo. Sometimes, yes — even a little pizza. But we try to keep that as the exception, not the norm.
Because here’s the truth: kids are smart.
They notice patterns. They test boundaries. And if they think they can sway you, they absolutely will.
Sugar, Treats, and Being Real 🍭
Yes, he eats ice cream. Yes, he’s had juice. And yes, chocolate too — usually on weekends, or at parties or family gatherings.
We eat it with him, because we want food to be a shared, joyful experience.
(Okay… occasionally we sneak an ice cream on our own and hide in the kitchen, but you get me.)😉
The point is: our kids will do what we do — not what we say.
So if you want your child to have a healthy relationship with food, start by modelling it yourself. Make it a family thing. Let it feel natural and not something that they want to get away from.
Final Thoughts 💭
So here’s my honest, mum-to-mum advice:
Create a lifestyle you enjoy — something sustainable, something real. And then include your child in it.
You don’t need to cook three separate meals. You don’t need to ban all sugar or fight every food battle. Just find your rhythm. Be consistent. And do it together — as a family. ❤️