TV’s Effect on Your Kid’s Eating Habits

We all know that kids enjoy TV time. TV can be fun and engaging and is even educational sometimes. But there are also negative effects of TV time. One negative impact you may not know about is that TV can influence children’s eating habits – and not for the better.

Did you know…

• 98% of advertised foods are of low nutritional value.
• When watching television, children learn that calorie-dense foods that are high in fat and sugar taste great and are extremely rewarding to consume.

On average, children in the U.S. view approximately 5,500 messages per year that promote unhealthy food products. That much messaging can be hard for parents to overcome but making changes to your family’s TV routine can have a positive effect on eating habits.

To get your kids back on track with learning healthy eating habits:

• Limit screen time to reduce the amount of advertising for unhealthy products children see.
• Turn the TV off while eating meals and snacks. This helps promote mindful eating, family bonding, and helps children learn their fullness cues.

When you do watch TV, designate time to watch a cooking show for kids. They promote positive changes in children’s food-related preferences, attitudes, and behaviors. Here are some of our favorites:

YouTube:

• Cook with Amber
• I Draw, You Cook
• I Can Cook
• Charli’s Crafty Kitchen

Streaming & Cable:

• Waffles + Mochi (Netflix)
• Kitchen Little (Prime Video)
• Foodtastic (Disney+)
• Nadiya’s Time to Eat (Netflix)
• MasterChef Junior (FOX)
• Chopped Jr (Discovery+)