Food is its own reward

Making children eat when they aren’t hungry
isn’t wise, either. Different
children need different amounts of food. Even the same child will need different
amounts of food at different times. Poor eating habits are begun rather than ended when parents become anxious about their children’s appetites.
Using food as a reward or punishment is another bad idea. Giving dessert as a reward may teach a child that dessert is the most important part of the meal. Such tactics encourage children to see eating as an emotional issue rather than as an enjoyable way to stay healthy and strong.