Anushka Sharma’s ice-cream lesson offers a fresh take on healthy eating
Anushka, who has spoken openly about trying to build healthy food habits in her children from an early age, recalled the incident at an event in 2024. Because anushka did not describe Vamika’s response as the result of a strict rule, the ice-cream museum experience is particularly interesting. Because they are restricted, when parents repeatedly describe sweets, pizza, chips or ice cream as forbidden foods, children can begin to associate them with excitement precisely. In another September 2024 interaction, Anushka said she and Virat Kohli try to cook foods they grew up eating so that family recipes are passed on to their children.
Her daughter, she said, loves ice cream and is “obsessed” with it. Instead, the child was given an opportunity to have the food she loved without being told that she had to stop after a predetermined amount. She also said she maintains fixed meal and sleep timings even while travelling, describing routine as a way of giving children “a sense of control.
So when the opportunity came to indulge, Anushka decided not to impose a restriction. That admission is perhaps one of the more relatable parts of her story. Teaching children about food is rarely a single conversation. Parents may explain, negotiate, repeat themselves and try different approaches- only to hear a child respond with an unimpressed “Whatever. On the other hand, presenting every food as equally nutritious would also be misleading. The ice-cream museum story is not really about whether a child should be allowed two ice creams, five ice creams or none. It is about what happens when parents move away from making food a battle. Anushka’s experience suggests that healthy eating habits may involve more than keeping junk food out of the house. Children also need opportunities to understand food, experience different tastes and gradually develop their own awareness of hunger and fullness.
Her earlier comments about family food routines also show that she places importance on consistency.
