If your child is being picky about eating, take heart: This is normal for toddlers. Toddlers are typically extremely fussy eaters. While infants often gain three times their birth weight throughout their first year, toddlers’ growth rates and appetites tend to decrease.
Food choices are the reason why toddlers often display uneven development. On one day, your child may eagerly consume everything you put in front of them; on the next, they may throw it all in the trash. Sometimes, they may even stick to only two or three favorite foods for several weeks.
It can be a challenging situation for you and your child. If you are looking for help, keep reading to discover how to handle your fussy eater.
Give your fussy eater time to become familiar with the food
Your child isn’t alone in being wary of foods that don’t taste sweet; this is due to their evolved sensory systems. It’s a natural defense mechanism that can cause them to be a fussy eater until they figure out what’s safe to consume. The process of becoming familiar with meals is crucial throughout weaning and beyond in the toddler years.
Repeated studies have shown that children tend to prefer foods served to them frequently. If you force your child to eat something they dislike, such as spinach and other vegetables, it could lead to a lifelong aversion to healthy food.
It’s best to gradually introduce new things to your child by presenting the food individually and allowing them to become familiar with it by pairing it with dishes they already enjoy. Additionally, to help encourage your child to explore new meals and develop their palate, getting them involved in the kitchen while preparing meals is a great idea.
Keep portion sizes small
When introducing new meals to a fussy eater, it is best to keep portions small. Size is an important factor and a smaller portion is often safer, more convenient, and less wasteful. Sometimes, the first serving of a new dish during a meal needs to be as small as a grain of rice so that it will not be rejected. Make sure to give your child an adequate serving of healthy food for their age and praise them for any amount they consume.
Make mealtime fun
Having fun with your meal is not necessarily a negative thing. Foods that are brightly colored, easily sliced into shapes, or served with a sauce will be more likely consumed by your child. It may require more effort, but introducing additional foods into your child’s meal could be well worth it.
Get some cookie cutters to make sandwiches or foods into interesting shapes. You can also try making “ants on a log” out of celery, raisins, and peanut butter or create a rainbow with different-colored vegetables and fruits. To top it off, use fun, bright plates and cutlery at home or pack your child’s meal in a bento box for on-the-go convenience.
Model healthy eating habits
Your children will likely mimic the actions of those they admire most, including you as their parent. Children are more likely to try new or healthier foods if they witness you enjoying them. Take it easy and enjoy a meal together, expressing your delight in how delicious it is.
By showing your child that you’re willing to try new foods alongside them, you can help them develop openness and become less fussy eaters and more adventurous eaters.
Avoid reward-based eating
Despite the temptation, you shouldn’t reward your kids with sweets if they eat vegetables or give them alternatives when they dislike the food you prepared. This action can heighten the appeal of the reward food and minimize the value of the dish you want them to eat. It can also cause tension at mealtime every day.
Respect your child’s choices
When children are threatened or reprimanded if they eat certain meals, they may form negative associations with eating and food. To avoid this, don’t make a big fuss if your child won’t eat something you prepared. It is best to respect your child and let them learn to tune into their body and eat when they are hungry.
For instance, if they have had a hearty morning meal, they might not feel like snacking in the afternoon. The right to choose what they eat lies with them, but it is still your responsibility as a parent to provide them with nutritious meals. If you force your child to consume food or reprimand them if they don’t, your child may develop a strong aversion to healthy meals.
Avoid distractions
Your mission as a parent is to persuade your fussy eater to eat, so you may be tempted to resort to distractions like television, gadgets, or games. Ultimately, this will only send the message to your kids that food is unpleasant and that mealtime should be rushed through to get on with the day.
While this may help with feeding in the short term, it can create greater stress in the long term, especially when your child is older and faces new situations such as dining with others or attending school.
Don’t force your child to eat
One thing that you should not do with your fussy eater is to force them to eat. Instead, encourage them to eat, but do not make them stay at the table until they are dismissed if they refuse to eat. Remember that your child gets to decide their food consumption limits, while you as a parent provide them with nutritious meals.
New habits take time
As a parent, you may feel anxious, concerned, and frustrated when your fussy eater makes you worry that they aren’t getting enough to eat. The struggle with a fussy eater can seem overwhelming, but it will lessen over time. To make the situation better, try to avoid using food as either a punishment or a reward.
Instead of using food as a means to influence behavior, it should be used for its original purpose: nourishment. Therefore, remove your habit of forcing your fussy eater to eat and help them expand their food choices instead. By doing so, you can keep your sanity as a parent and apply the approaches mentioned above.
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