Picky eating behaviors have been identified as a major barrier to having shared family mealtimes. Parents serve as important role models in helping children develop healthy eating habits, which is especially important as food preferences are formed early and remain stable throughout childhood.
Mealtime Minutes
Supported by The Pampered Chef, Mealtime Minutes are a series of public service announcements (PSAs) that provide real solutions to common family mealtime challenges. The 30-second PSAs help families create effective strategies to address these challenges and create quality shared time together. The PSAs are broadcast nationwide and reach millions of homes.
Recent Videos
Picky Eater
Pester Power
Children between 2 and 11 view over 12 food advertisements daily on television, more than 70% of which are for unhealthy food. A recent national survey reported that parents believe that the media has a negative influence on their children's eating habits. This can in turn lead to making grocery shopping a frustrating experience as over half of children's requests for food while shopping are for sweets and snacks. Parents yield to this pestering because they don't know what to do.
Managing Strong Emotions
Cranky children at the table rarely begins the moment they sit down. Parents can start to recognize how they can change the patterns that set the stage for these unwanted behaviors.
Food–Mood
Many parents report that meal preparation is stressful. Planning ahead can help reduce feelings of stress and fatigue and lead to a better overall experience.