ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Nutritional gatekeeper

A nutritional gatekeeper is like a guard who stands in front of a door that leads to a room full of foods. This guard decides which foods get into the room and which ones cannot.

In your house, your parents are your nutritional gatekeepers. They have the job of deciding which foods are healthy and good for you to eat, and which foods are not. They also decide how much of each food you should eat.

Just like a gatekeeper at a door, the nutritional gatekeeper keeps the not-so-good foods out and makes sure you eat a balanced and healthy diet. By doing this, they help you grow big and strong and keep you from getting sick.

As you get older, you will learn how to be your own nutritional gatekeeper and make healthy choices about the foods you eat.