Please help me with my assignment!! Healthy eating survey.

[heliana]

1.Does your child have any intolerances or allergies?
Used to be allergic to peanut, egg and tomato but now has grown out of them. Still gets hives from some tomatoes. Seems to react to some food additives but we have just tried to minimise these rather than do the elimination diet.

2.Does your child have any religious or cultural beliefs to do with food?
No

3.Does your child have any specific food preferences?
Honey, fat (on meat), fruit, peas.

4.Is there anything we need to know about your child?s appetite and eating habits that might assist us?
Eats like a camel some days lots, some days barely a thing. Evens out in the end and she's very healthy.

5.What types of foods do you want your child to eat often (several times daily)?
Don't want her to eat anything several times a day, we like variety. Maybe more fresh vegies. As in raw peas, carrots, sprouts, beans.

6.What types of foods do you avoid or not give your child to eat and why?
Anything with additives, preservatives, colours, as she reacts and we have never done the test to find out which ones to avoid, so I tend to just avoid them all. (but she gets these when she is at kindy, or out with Dad)
Sugary foods (don't see the need, don't want her to develop a sweet tooth)
Highly processed foods (we make at home instead - more nutritious)

7.How often do you give your child treat foods? What types of foods are these?
On occasion, eg, we went camping last week so I made some marshmallows, or useually when I get a craving for sweets we will make a cake. I try to homemade treats like cake, marshmallows, hot chocolate, so I can choose healthier alternatives to put in them.

8.Are you happy with your child?s diet? If not what concerns you most about it?
Yes, I would like her to eat more vegies I guess.

9.Do you know what servings of each food type your child should have? Do you know what constitutes a ?serving??
I don't believe in the food pyramid, I follow weston price guidelines (wholefoods). Don't go by servings, let her eat what she wants and stop when she wants.

10.What do you feel affects your child?s food choices? (E.g. family eating habits, food advertising, other family/friends, etc?)
# Family - Im a single parent so can only choose what she eats when she is with me, and when she isn't its like a special day so that seems to equate to 'special' foods/treats.
# Also she eats food at kindy that I wouldn't choose for her, also foods she probably wouldn't eat at home because all the other kids are.
# Advertising - she sees adds for junk all the time, and says can we have that, and I try and make or offer her a healthier alternative rather than say no. So I definately think this influences her. (Especially cartoon pictures eg. Dora on the packaging)
# What is available in front of her to graze on (she seems to be a natural grazer) - We have our fruit on the kitchen table and she eats so much of it, we grow some veg in the garden and she eats it every day. Also when Im preparing food, she will come along and eat so much of the ingredients but rarely eats much when we sit down to a meal.

11. Does your child help choose foods for them to eat daily and/or do you cook with your child?
Yes to both. We don't always go with her food choices for what she wants to eat

11. Would you like further information provided regarding children?s healthy eating?
I read your post re kids healthy eating thanks.