WHEN TODDLERS ARE PICKY EATERS

WHEN TODDLERS ARE  PICKY EATERS

Fighting over food is never fun at the dinner table. Every parent seems to have the same problem with at least one of their children, or maybe all of them. The food is either “yucky” or “gross”. They may not like the food you lovingly cook or they may change their likes and dislikes on a weekly basis. Infants who have eaten everything in front of them can suddenly become disinterested in food. Whichever it is, it can be frustrating and worrisome when your child doesn’t eat. You even begin to think of them as picky eaters.

Well don’t fret about it too much. It’s natural for children to want a particular food over and over and then not want to have anything to do with it two weeks later. By the age of two growth and calorie needs decrease and so does a child’s appetite.

Remember, if your child misses a meal they will often make it up at the next one. So don’t go overboard trying to make them eat. Meals should be enjoyable for the whole family so that eating food is associated with a positive experience for children.

As long as your child is receiving a balanced diet they should be able to choose the foods they eat. According to the Department of Agriculture a balanced diet for toddlers consists of 2/3 the amount of an adult serving – that amounts to servings of 1 tablespoon per year of age of the following food groups.

• Meat, fish, poultry, eggs: 2 – 3 servings

• Dairy products:  3 servings

• Fruits and Vegetables: 3 servings each

• Cereal grains, potatoes rice, breads, pasta: 6 servings

It’s also a good idea to limit the supply of refined sugar. But don’t eliminate sweets altogether, it may make your child want them even more. Just try to cut down. Soda, candy and juices which are not 100%  are probably your main concerns. Try to have nutritious snacks most of the time and save the candy and sweets for special occasions. 

Before Meals

Give children a 15 minute warning before meal time. Many times children who have been playing hard don’t have much of an appetite so try to have them participate in a quieter activity right before meals. Also if a child is fully engrossed in an activity they will not want to switch gears and start eating. Try to have them wash their hands or help set the table if their old enough.

Be sure to turn off the television or radio. If you want music try soft music without any lyrics and remember to use child size utensils to make eating easier for them.

Mealtime

It helps to make mealtime a special family time where everyone sits down together to eat and converse about the day. Focus on each other instead of the television, magazines or other distractions.

Food that is presented nicely and looks appetizing usually is. Also don’t put too much food on your child’s plate. They can always be served more after they have the satisfaction of finishing their plate.  If your child wants to stop eating let them. It shows that they are in control of what they eat.

Mealtimes should be at a consistent time every day. Children enjoy having structure to their day and meals will help them with that expectation.

You can serve foods from all the food groups so that they will have a choice in what they eat. A good rule is to prepare a variety of foods with different textures and colors. Even if a child may not like a new food at first keep serving it in different ways and they may learn to enjoy it. Studies have shown that children need to try a food many times before they learn to enjoy it. But don’t force it on them.

Don’t serve them too much milk or juice at meal time. An 8 ounce glass of milk is a meal when children are young. They will easily fill up on milk or juice and not be hungry when it’s time to eat.

Be positive when your child refuses or fusses about food. If they are looking for attention by not eating, your frustration will be attention enough and a bad habit will quickly form. On the other side of the coin, don’t cater to a child’s unwillingness to eat by preparing separate meals for them. They will not try new foods if they can always eat the food they want. Just give them a number of choices of healthy foods and they can try what they would like.

Snacks

Try to keep snack time consistent also. Eating all day long will make a child not hungry for meals and they may fall into the trap of eating for boredom or emotional satisfaction.

Snacks that are fresh, healthy and natural are much better then those found in a package. When out and about with your child they will eat and drink whatever is around. If all you have is an apple or orange and water, that’s what they’ll eat if they’re hungry.

Snack sizes should be determined by how far away they are from a meal. If the meal is an hour away give them a small amount and if it’s longer until meal time give them more.

Of course, try not to give your children a huge snack right before lunch or dinner.