What Is Normal Eating?

— Written in 1983 by Ellyn Satter

• Normal eating is eating competence. It is going to the table and eating until you are satisfied.
• It is being able to choose food you enjoy and eat it truly and get enough of it - not just stop eating because you think you should.
• Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food.
• Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad or bored, or just because it feels good.
• Normal eating is mostly three meals a day, or four or five, or it can occasionally be choosing too munch along the way.
• It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful.
• Normal eating is overeating at times, feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. And it can be undereating at time and wishing you had more.
• Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating. Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life.
• In short, normal eating is flexible. It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food and your feelings.

© Copyright 2022 by Ellyn Satter. Published at EllynSatterInstitute.org

Let your child decide how much they want to eat

• Avoid pressure, bribes, or guilt at mealtimes
• Serve meals and snacks at regular times
• Offer a variety, even if not all foods are eaten
• Stay calm and consistent – trust their appetite
• Keep language around food positive and neutral
• Involve children in food preparation when possible
• Model the habits you’d like them to build

For more support: info@gntc.ie | Galway Nutrition & Therapy Clinic