FAQ’s About the EAC Program

1. Is it really a good idea to have children eating candy and snacks at mealtimes?

Great question! A good friend asked me the very same thing as we sat and ate at a popular pizza place. Her son, age 10 at the time, ate several slices of pizza and refused to eat even a tiny bit of salad. My son, age 8 at the time, ate 2 slices of pizza and ate a huge salad, chock-full of clover, tomatoes, arugula, spring mix, carrots, onions and feta cheese! She asked me how I was able to get my son to eat this way. The proof is in the pudding!

I would rather my child eat a little treat at mealtimes, if it means he will develop the taste for healthier foods, over time. Children know that they like candy but they rarely know how great carrots can taste – especially when carrots are cooked with a little olive oil and some cinnamon sprinkled over the top.

Initially with this program, the treat is the incentive; but after the child develops his or her palette, for good food including: vegetables, fruits, lean protein, grains, etc. the world becomes a different place. Children actually start craving healthy foods. My son loved going to places that had salad bars! It really works!

2. What if my child gobbles up all the goodies and leaves the healthy food?

This program requires time and direction. Your child may need more direct training by putting one food on the plate at a time and then waiting for the child to eat that food. For instance, put Broccoli on the plate at 12:00 and then show the child what you plan to put at 1:00 – something they really like – Macaroni and Cheese, maybe. Wait until the child eats some or all of the broccoli before placing the Macaroni and Cheese on the plate. Do this until the child learns that eating the healthy food can result in getting a treat of a preferred food.

3. My child eats a fair amount of healthy foods. Do I really need a program like this?

Congratulations! You are one of the lucky ones! This probably makes mealtimes a breeze! Enjoy the experience. This program can be used for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you want to be more cognizant of how much food your child is eating and what amounts of food he or she is eating in each food group. This is a good way to portion out food to ensure your child is getting what you feel is a healthy portion in each of the food groups.

This method of eating may also be used to expose a healthy eater to some new and different types of food. Have they tried Sushi? Escargot? Three-Bean Salad? Use the Eat Around the Clock System to challenge your healthy eater to try new foods from different cultures. Think of how well the exposure to new foods will bode for your child as they navigate through a world which is a melting pot of cultures that can be evidenced in the different foods we eat, as well as our customs and traditions.

4. What if my child eats too slowly and I have to prod her to eat the meal in a reasonable amount of time?

This is where the Kippy, the Carrot Timer, can be of great help. Set the timer for what you feel is a reasonable amount of time for the child to eat. Make this time somewhere between the time you feel is acceptable and the time the child normally takes when eating a meal. Tell the child that while Kippy is watching, Kippy will also be sending out a signal when the time for the meal is done. The child’s job is to eat the meal before the signal goes off. Once your child experiences this, it will become like a game of trying to beat the clock. Shorten the time on the timer as you see fit, ensuring your child has enough time to eat at comfortable and relaxed pace.

5. What if my child eats too quickly?

Use the timer to your advantage here. Set Kippy the Carrot Timer for a longer period of time. Challenge your child to Eat Around the Clock, slowly, chewing food carefully and making it last, so he or she gets near completion when the bell goes off.

6. How long does it take for the usage of Eat Around the Clock to fall into place and work like “Clockwork”?

Eat Around the Clock is a process. Healthy eating habits are not built in one day. This is something that takes time and effort if you want to see results. The response to Eat Around the Clock is different for each child. Some children get the system and begin eating around the clock automatically after a couple of days. Some children need more training and encouragement. Be patient! Persist longer than they resist!

7. What if I have exposed my child to a food twelve times and he still doesn’t like it and has a difficult time eating it?

Be reasonable. Most of us have specific foods that we just don’t care for. These foods may be good. These foods may be healthy. Recognize that there are still foods that, for whatever reason, our palette is sensitive to and we find we just don’t like them.

It’s okay! I don’t like olives. I have tried several different types of olives and most recently, when dining with a friend, the waiter brought an unexpected appetizer of olive remoulade on toast points. I didn’t like it. I still don’t like olives. I probably never will.

It is acceptable to conclude that there are some foods your child may not cultivate a taste for right now. As your child grows and develops, his or her palette will change, too. However, what won’t change is a willingness or not to try new foods. This morning one of my friends told me that her grown son will only eat one vegetable – corn. Now that’s a bit limiting! That is why Eat Around the Clock can be an essential part of developing those good eating habits at an age when children are more receptive and able to be molded.

8. Does my child have to eat all of the healthy food that I put at any one time frame on the clock?

Think exposure! Your job as a parent, is to put your child in the best position for success.
You are doing good things by being mindful of your child’s eating habits and cooking healthy meals. Now think of getting them to try things – that crisp snap of a green pepper when dipped in some greek yogurt. YUM! Does it matter if they eat 1 slice of green pepper or 3 slices of green pepper? No! The purpose is for them to try a green pepper. If it is the child’s first time, he or she may not like the green pepper. To force a child to eat 3 green peppers at that time would not make sense. Include green peppers with meals over time until the child has been exposed to this vegetable 7 to 12 times. As the child becomes more comfortable with the food, then you can up the ante by having him or her eat more of a specific food group. Read your child. You know what is best for your child.

9. For what age group is Eat Around the Clock recommended?

Eat around the clock is geared for children ages 2 to 10. However, Eat Around the Clock has been used to help the elderly get the nutrients they need to maintain a healthy weight and to help those with eating disorders re-orient their relationship with food. The concept itself can be used with anyone who would benefit from more exposure to healthy foods on a daily basis.

10. What kinds of food do you recommend exposing children to in order to ensure proper nutrition?

Tell your children to eat a Rainbow. Foods that are good for you come in all colors! Rainbow foods include:

• Leafy green vegetables
• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Brussel sprouts
• Carrots
• Corn
• Potatoes
• Eggplant
• Oranges
• Apples
• Kiwi
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Squash
• Celery
• Beans
• Rice
• Whole grain breads
• Quinoa
• Eggs
• Milk
• Yogurt
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Haddock
• Halibut
• Lean beef
• Pork
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Nuts
• Shell Fish
• Seeds
• Cheese
• Pickles
• Lentils
• Oats
• Avocado
• Cottage Cheese
• Peanut Butter

Of course, YOU are your child’s first teacher. You know what foods they should eat and you also know what foods they should avoid due to such things as allergies, family diet restrictions or religious beliefs. Plan your child’s meals accordingly.