by Beth Bader
Okay Dads, Father’s Day is past, are you feeling forgotten already? When it comes to the role of nutritional gatekeeper and the job of feeding our kids, often the conversation is centered on mom. Maybe it’s time someone let dad’s know just how much they influence kids’ diets, too.
It’s true that moms tend to have the most influence on food kids eat in at the family table. A new study from Texas A&M shows its dad who has the most influence on what kids eat out. The down side is that influence tends to favor fast foods and convenience foods.
So, Dads, time to use your power for good. You can explain what healthier choices mean for eating out — or express a preference for eating in. Bonus points for putting on the apron and getting in the kitchen!
I agree with you, I learned a lot about eating good foods from my mom, although my dad was a big influence on eating healthy also.
Fathers are more likely than mothers to have an impact on childhood obesity, because they tend to be more lenient when kids make choices about what and where they eat.
@ Ming:
You are definitely right. Lenient is the word. I don’t know why they are like that. They’re not conscious about the food they eat and that’s also what they give their kids.