Eating with a 3 year old?!?

So my biggest problem is snacking on junk when my son is snacking, or eating off his plate when we are eating.  I usually will do well when he's not around, but if he's snacking on a popsicle, or brownies...I can't help myself!!  My biggest pitfall are sweets!!  What can you suggest to keep us BOTH healthy?!?!

::edit/update::

Just wanted to say that the great ideas all of you supplied actually are helping!!!  I have stopped buying the junk snacks, and my son happily snacks on yogurt, fruit, cheese and likewise!!  YEAH!  This means that my baby boy will grow up to like the better things rather than always snacking on the junk.  Thanks everyone!!!!

Suki

Try making his snacks something that you can eat. Make the brownies
healthier, or make crystal light popsicles. That way it's healthier for
both of you! 

the thing is that we usually get home late (after work & daycare) and I'm feeding him whatever snacks are quickest while I make dinner.  I usually will buy the prepackaged treats, cause they are the easiest.

Try the 100 calorie packs, maybe? They're pre-packaged and still sweet (or salty), but they limit how much you have and you know exactly how many calories you're eating.

Congratulations on being aware of eating habits that stand in the way of progress for you!

My first suggestion is to not serve your son popsicles or brownies. Why start him on the path of unhealthy eating? Fix him ants on a log (celery with peanut butter and raisins) or a frozen banana on a stick. Make your own popsicles with juice or sugar free jello, or sugar free pudding. Then, if you snack, its a healthy one!

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/HQ/00419.ht ml

http://nutrition.about.com/od/snacksforchildr en/

Some rules we all must learn to live include - never eat what's left over on children's plates or in serving dishes after a meal - run to the garbage disposal and wash it down the sink! Every mouthful extra is extra calories... I've read suggestions like - pepper heavily anything left over so that it won't taste good.

Hope this helps! 

I bought low-cal polly-o string cheese for myself and my son ended up loving it. We also eat a lot of fruit. When I want something sweet, I have my 100 calorie packs. He eats those too, even though he has his own set of cookies to snack on. But I make sure he knows candy, chips, cookies, etc. are a treat and not something he can have everyday.

you know, I have noticed that he sneaks my light yogurts & cheese occasionaly!!  So I just need to leave the sweet treats on the shelf.  That tip on leftovers is great too!  Thanks mspriff!!!  I'll definetely try those 100 calorie packs too, hadn't even though of those.

I remember the snacks my mom used to make... She took a lot of the "ends" of the breakfast cereals (rice chex, cheerios...) and made her own trail mix out of them. She would throw sometimes chocolate chips in but mostly dried fruits and raisins. They were an awesome snack oh and homemade popsicles from juice. Just buy a mold, pour in some juice and you have a sweet treat when you get home!

Good luck on making healthy choices for both of you :)

wow, never thought of that either?!  I usually end up throwing out the ends of the cereal boxes cause noone will eat it.  I'm going to try that idea too!!  I just love this site, what an enormous help!!!!  Thanks everyone!!!

This will probably sound weird, but I gave my son frozen mixed vegetables -- still frozen. He loved them. It's only been in the past year or two that I stopped doing this; he's 12 now! :-D

I found that he needed to eat something the second we got home, and giving him frozen veggies was easy and quick, and he could eat as many of them as he wanted. If he didn't eat a lot of dinner as a result (didn't happen often!), well, that was okay, because his snack was so good for him.

Frozen veggies still frozen are also a good alternative for snacking during a movie at home; better than chips and dip or candy, for sure!

I keep cut up veggies in the fridge at all times-when the kids want a quick snack, I just haul out the veggies and plop a little low cal ranch into a wee dish for them to dip. Makes them feel very grown up and important-they associate veggie trays with the neat parties adults have, I guess. ^_^

I thought we were the only kids who asked for "frozen peas, still frozen please!"

They just tasted better that way, for some reason.

elm, you too? frozen pease are great- post-frozen peas SUCK.

I loved frozen peas as a kid!!! These are all great ideas. My mom also freezes crystal lite into popcicles. 

I am soooo with you on this one babe! I have a three year old daughter, and we generally eat healthy. The pitfall is when I treat her to McDonalds or ice cream or something like that. I tend to want to steal a fry to go with my salad! I have come to the conclusion that in moderation, I will allow myself to have the whole extra value meal (with a diet Coke, of course). Doing this on rare occasions allows me to have my fix and have no remorse because I am "allowed" to do it. If I deprived myself of the pleasure of a quarter pounder here and there, I would eat two at the first point of weakness!!!

I do have to say that my daughter loves veggies and healthy snacks to though. A splurge for us can be cheddar cheese slices and snack crackers, or popcorn (with all the BUTTER!). My daughter really loves stuff like Cherios dry or Frosted Mini Wheats. They are good on the go. For your sweet attacks, try a fat free pudding or cool whip. Cool whip has awesome flavors now. Good luck!

You feel my pain shill!!!  I'm the same way when I treat my son to McD's or something else..........just a fry here or there with my salad too!!  Glad to know that I am not alone!!  I guess on occasion it isn't too bad.  THANKS!!!!!

I don't know about frozen peas, but frozen blueberries are pretty delicious! And ants on a log has always been my favorite - you will find me snacking on it at least once a week!

Well I have an 8 year old that eats non-stop, a 6 year old that is kinda picky and a 3 year old that is a junk food junkie.

I used to buy chips, etc. to have in the house but the kids would hound me non-stop for those items.  So I just don't buy them now.  I keep lots of fruits and veggies in the house and the kids are told that they can have unlimited amounts of those as long as they don't waste it.

Remember, you can do them a favor by giving them healthy foods, they will get used to it and enjoy it.  You can teach them healthy habits right from the start.

http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nu trition/habits.html

Hooray for frozen peas!  My kids love these.  Yesterday I told my six year old he could have 2 popsicles if he ate a cucumber slice.  He wanted more cucumber slices.  I think kids will grow up with healthy eating habits if we don't make a big deal about different foods.  He does love chips, but also loves baby carrots.  We've never limited candy and on Halloween he can take it or leave it.  In fact, he already told me he wants to pass out the candy this year instead of Trick-or-Treating. 

my daughter is 3, she eats with me for EVERY meal. I dont feel her anything i wont eat. That might help. She eats steamed fish and greek salad almost everyday with me. This morning she had corn flakes (hubby gave them to her) and when i got up she asked for a mango, put side her flakes and ate a WHOLE mango! she is eating super healthy, and she loves it. She wont even touch her hot dogs anymore (they were turkey and low sodiam). She wants fish, veggies and fruit! I do give her whole eggs, yolks and all most of the time, and little things like that. But, she is doing so well, and loves the healthy food,  Plus, i dont let her eat junk, so we never have it in the house, and i dont get tempted since we dont have it.

I know i am making the best dessions for our family.

hope that helps.

stef

My new choices have brought healthier foods into the house.  And I too can't stand the whine that I get if I tell them no to an item.  My solution is simple.  If they whine or pester me about unhealthy items that are in the house.  Then once they are gone I dont replace them.  My solution for chips, since I am a chip-a-holic is to buy the little lunch sized bags of them so there is never an open bag lying around the house.  The kids can eat them if they want and the minute I see a bag with some left over in it sitting around I toss it in the can--because I will finish it if I dont toss it.  Now we always have a big bowl of fruit sitting on the island and precut veggies and yogurt waiting in the fridge.  These are my lifesavers when I need to snack while making dinner because I am so hungry, or if I am having one of those "gotta chew" moments.  Its just a few of the changes our family has made...and my kids are going to be healthier because of me : )