Re-Establishing a Mealtime Routine with Children (Without the Guilt) | January 2026

By Megan Wallace, RD | Pediatric & Family Nutrition

Read more about Megan Wallace on our Daily Nutrition page.

January often arrives with a sense that we need to “get back on track.” After the holidays — with travel, visitors, special foods, later bedtimes, and disrupted routines — many parents notice that eating feels a little different at home.

Appetites may feel unpredictable. Favourite foods might suddenly be refused. Mealtimes can feel more emotional or less orderly than usual.

At Kepler Academy, we want families to hear this clearly and early in the year:

Your child does not need a nutrition reset.

What they need is routine, reassurance, and time.

Holiday Changes Are Normal — and Temporary

During the holiday season, children experience many changes all at once. Meal schedules shift. Foods look different. Caregivers rotate. Sleep routines change. Even the energy in their environment feels different.

Young children rely heavily on predictable routines to help regulate hunger, emotions, and behaviour. When routines are disrupted, it’s completely normal for eating patterns to shift too.

Some children eat less for a period of time. Others lean into foods that are familiar or comforting. Many move back and forth between the two.

This isn’t a sign of poor nutrition — it’s a sign that your child is adjusting.

Why January Can Feel Hard at the Table

January brings its own challenges. Shorter daylight hours, colder temperatures, reduced outdoor play, and winter illnesses can all impact how children feel in their bodies.

As a dietitian-supported organization, we often remind families that appetite is influenced by much more than food. It is shaped by:

• Sleep quality
• Activity and movement
• Emotional regulation
• Growth and development
• Transitions and stress

So, when eating feels “off” in January, it doesn’t mean something needs to be fixed. It means your child’s body is recalibrating after a busy season.

What Helps Children Re-Establish Eating Rhythms

Rather than focusing on restrictions or rules, January is an ideal time to return to the foundations that support children best: predictability and trust.

Here’s what we know helps children naturally regulate their eating after the holidays:

     1. Consistent Meal and Snack Times

Offering food every 2–3 hours help children trust that nourishment is coming again. This reduces anxiety around food and supports balanced intake over the day.

     2. Familiar Foods Offered Regularly

Familiar foods provide comfort and safety. At Kepler, familiar foods are intentionally paired with ongoing exposure to new foods — without pressure to eat them.

     3. Balanced Offerings Without Pressure

Caregivers decide what foods are offered and when. Children decide if and how much they eat. This approach supports autonomy and body awareness.

     4. Warm, Comforting Meals

In winter, warm foods can feel especially regulating. Soups, stews, pasta dishes, rice bowls, and baked meals support both comfort and nourishment.

     5. Calm, Predictable Eating Environments

Low-pressure meals support emotional regulation — which directly impacts appetite.

Check out our blog post, ‘Building Healthy Family Habits for the New Year’ to find more ideas about creating family routines in the new year!

How Kepler’s Food Routines Support Children

At all Kepler Academy childcare centers, meals and snacks are offered at predictable times. Menus are dietitian-approved and thoughtfully planned. Children eat alongside peers in a calm, supportive environment. There is no pressure to finish food — only opportunities to explore, learn, and build confidence.

Even when children eat less at first, repeated exposure and routine gently guide them back toward balance.

At Kepler, we understand that nutrition is built over time, not measured by a single meal or day. When children feel safe and supported, their bodies do exactly what they’re designed to do.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for our weekly Food Friday posts for more recipe ideas and to see what goes on with nutrition at Kepler Academy. We begin following our winter menu this month!

Recipe of the Month:

Honey Garlic Chicken Bowls

Ingredients:

Sauce

• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch

Chicken

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, sliced

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Set aside.
2. Cut chicken into ½-inch pieces. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then toss in flour until lightly coated.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 Tbsp oil. Cook half the chicken until browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate.
   Add remaining 1 Tbsp oil and repeat with the second batch. Set all chicken aside.
4. Lower heat to medium-low. Add butter and garlic to the same skillet. Cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
5. Stir the sauce again, then pour it into the skillet. Scrape up any browned bits and simmer for ~2 minutes until thickened.
6. Add chicken back to the skillet and toss to coat. Cook 1–2 minutes until heated through.
7. Remove from heat, serve with rice, steamed broccoli & top with green onions, and sesame seeds.