You?ve been there: Your six-year-old enjoyed a satisfying dinner, but half an hour later, he?s hungry for a cupcake. What gives" Is he really physically hungry or is it just a craving"
You probably know that we eat for reasons beyond rumbling tummies. Sometimes we crave foods that look or smell good, and other times we eat because we?re bored or sad. These different kinds of hunger are experienced by children and adults alike, and are all normal.
Being aware of why we eat can help us build a better relationship with food. And it turns out, the best time to start developing this awareness is in childhood.

Teaching your kids the three types of hunger

There are three kinds of hunger, and anytime your family is eating, you can take advantage of the opportunity to teach the different types to your kids. You don?t need to use the terms at every meal?just occasionally so kids get a sense of why they eat and learn to use these labels themselves. The three types of hunger are:

Stomach hunger: When hunger peaks?maybe at breakfast or after school?explain to your child that their rumbling tummy is a sign of stomach hunger, which is when their body tells them they need to eat food for energy and nutrients.
Mouth hunger: If a TV commercial, billboard or wafting scent makes your kid crave food, use it as an opportunity to explain that it?s their taste buds asking for something delicious, even if their body doesn?t need the food for energy.
Heart hunger:...