Punishing or rewarding with unhealthy food is counterproductive 2026

When it comes to feeding children, there are many strategies although the same one is usually repeated: rewarding or reprimanding with phrases like 'if you eat everything, I'll buy you ice cream' or 'if you don't finish lunch, you'll also eat vegetables for dinner'. Although they seem like simple expressions, they are mistakes that parents and caregivers of children make, since they begin to learn new foods. The reason, feeding minors is not a matter of punishing punishments, it is an activity that must be guided by patience, dedication and knowing the importance of food.

Depriving a child of food, restricting some foods or forcing him to eat others is not a valid strategy to correct his behaviors, much less to instill in him a healthy relationship with food and good healthy habits. We explain why. There is a basic rule in pedagogy: food cannot be used as a punishment or as a reward. Eating habits must be sacred within the child's routine, and must be outside of any negotiation, evaluation or consequence of other actions. Punishing or rewarding with food can cause the child to create harmful associations with food. The relationship between our emotions and food begins from early childhood. Food serves to strengthen and nourish, and if we load it with negative emotions it loses its main role, stops being something natural and can distress the child. We have consulted Patricia Guzmán from Método Ancla, weight loss coaching, where she daily checks in her consultations unhealthy relationships with food such as, for example, eating with remorse, guilt or prohibitions.

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Why is it bad to punish 'without dinner'?

Punishing or rewarding with food is counterproductive. Food, in this case lacena, is part of their diet and nutrition. If we punish without dessert or dinner, children will end up creating neuroassociations that could later trigger undesirable behaviors. Any restriction invites excess. If we convey to them that dinner can be a punishment, that deprivation can trigger overeating or binge eating in the future.

What's wrong with rewarding children 'with some sweets'?

Neither threatening nor rewarding with food helps your child's development. Rewarding children with sweets encourages food, and in this case sweets, to be perceived as something extraordinary and very desirable. So in this case the neuroassociation that we are promoting is relating food with reward, affection, attention... And later in adulthood, we find numerous cases in which when someone feels sad, disappointed or tired, they turn to food to feel valued or rewarded. It's what we call emotional eating.

I encourage you to observe yourself and detect if you are doing it with your children. And if so, how else could you reward other than with sweets. A story, a bike ride, a coloring book, a good hug...? What can you think of? What you transmit as a reward will be perceived as a reward.

Would you give us some tips to teach children to eat healthily...

Try to eat as a family whenever possible. Sitting at the table with the whole family promotes family relationships and also promotes healthy eating. Relax, have fun and savor the food with your family. Get used to eating without the TV on and be surprised by the conversations that may arise.

Involve your children as much as possible in preparing the food and shopping. It is a way to appreciate and understand the process of the food that is served on your plate. If they have participated, they will value it more and it will help them get their attention. Forget the famous phrase: "Finish your plate!" You will only get them to ignore the stomach signals and instead rely on the signal of the empty plate to decide when we have eaten enough. Over time they will not know how to decide when the body is satisfied with the amount it has eaten and will get used to eating until they are full.

And the most important tip of all: you are the mirror in which they look at themselves. Notice what example you are setting for them.

How does it help if we let children play with food?

Approximately from 2 years of age, when he can swallow solid foods without choking and can coordinate his hands, eyes and mouth, from then on it is convenient for him to start experimenting on his own with our supervision (helping him when he asks). That the baby enjoys eating and experiences his own sensations with food by offering healthy alternatives so that his taste preferences lean towards healthy foods and encouraging him to try different foods.

Aproximadamente a partir de los 2 años de edad cuando ya puede tragar alimentos sólidos sin atragantarse y puede coordinar manos, ojos y boca, a partir de entonces es conveniente que empiece a experimentar por su cuenta con nuestra supervisión (ayudándole cuando lo pida). Que el bebé disfrute comiendo y experimente sus propias sensaciones con los alimentos ofreciendo alternativas saludables para que sus preferencias gustativas se inclinen hacia alimentos saludables y estimulándole a probar comidas diferentes.