Over the last thirty years, meal portions have increased dramatically. No wonder people are finding it difficult to maintain their weight. Children are also suffering, as there are three times as many overweight children as there were in the 1980s due to the oversized portions. When children are served too large portions, weight gain is inevitable, especially because they are forced to finish their plates.

Parents often serve children twice the recommended amount of food. Even if the children say they are full halfway through, they have to keep eating because whatever is on the table will be eaten. Parents mistakenly think that they are teaching their children good eating behaviour this way, but unfortunately, constant overeating is not only unhealthy, but also develops negative eating behaviour later in life. When the child sees a certain amount on the plate, it learns to see this as the right amount.

People of all ages who regularly overeat develop health problems such as diabetes 2, high cholesterol and bone problems. To teach children how to control their portion size, it is best to divide the plate into four sections. One quarter is filled with carbohydrates, the second with fruit, the third with vegetables and the fourth with protein. A children's portion should also always be served on a children's plate. This avoids the temptation to serve too much.

Snacks between meals should be prepared and divided into individual snacks. This way you can keep track of the amount consumed. If the children are given a meal instead of a full bag of crisps, they will eat a reasonable amount, because when the plate is empty, they are usually full.

Never eat in a hurry and always eat at the table for meals. Even slow eaters should be given as much time as they need. If the child is still hungry after its portion, you should first give it something to drink and then wait 15 minutes. It usually takes this long for the stomach to signal to the brain that it has had enough to eat.

Parents should definitely listen when children say that they have had enough to eat. They usually know best. With problem eaters, you should always serve the healthiest and most important food first when they are hungry. Then it's not so bad if they say afterwards that they don't want any more. Tip for children who are difficult with fresh fruit: Offer a glass of fresh juice without fruit pulp (not made from concentrate) with the meal. Most children like fruit in juice form.

The best way to show children how big their portion should be is by using clear examples. For example, a portion of rice is about the size of an ice-cream scoop. A portion of potato is about the size of a yo-yo. A portion of meat should not be bigger than a pack of cards, etc. By making comparisons with everyday objects, children can better understand the size of their meals. Parents can also use this as a guide. For example, they can see that the plate divided into four parts should contain approximately the same amount of four ice-cream scoops, i.e. an ice-cream scoop-sized portion of rice and the corresponding amount of fruit, vegetables and protein next to it.