Beating Fussy Eating
It was all going so well, your little one was enjoying all that yummy food that you lovingly prepared for him or her and then suddenly…he or she turns their face away and REFUSES! Maybe it’s just a one off, you think, until it happens again and then again…and then the food starts being thrown on the floor! Enough!
Recognise this pattern? Your little one is growing up! Fussy eating normally starts at around age 1, most children (not all, so don’t panic!) are self-feeding by this point so they can pick and choose what to eat and how much they want to eat, they’ve already got some control and believe it or not, independence. One thing you should remember is that their growth slows down during their second year; they just don’t need as much food as before.
Where they eat and when they eat is important, make mealtimes at a regular time and avoid things like the TV on which is a distraction, keep breakfast, lunch and dinner calm. It’s also good, where you can, to eat together, often not practical but helps baby/toddler understand that everyone eats at at breakfast/lunch/dinner. You should also keep mealtimes short – half an hour is enough, once they’ve finished (however much they’ve eaten) don’t let them come back (unless you’re re-introducing something because they say they are hungry, more on that later) don’t make another meal for them as they will expect restaurant treatment next time they eat.
Many of you ask me how much is the right amount for your toddler, they don’t need huge amounts of food on a daily basis. A good guideline would be approximately ¼ to a 1/3 of an adult sized portion. Keep portions small, you could also give some carefully chosen low fat/salt etc but make them part of the meal. One thing I would like to share with you is that fussy eaters normally get enough to eat so don’t feel guilty if they don’t want what you give them. Don’t fall into the trap of feeling your child needs to eat SOMETHING, don’t relent and give them crisps or similar just so you know they’ve eaten. Let them be for about 20 minutes and then try the rejected food again, remember children often reject new foods as the taste/texture/colour are unfamiliar to them.
When introducing a new food, put it next to a food you know your child likes. You could be artistic with your presentation as well, but don’t feel bad if you can’t do this, it’s only an idea! Get your child to feel, smell and lick new foods and if you are trying a new dish, if they are big enough, let them help you prepare it as they like to feel involved. Bright colours often attract little children so bright vegetables and fruit should be appealing.
Whatever they do eat, remember to give them praise and tell them how well they’re doing. Do your best to ignore them when they reject the food, take it away, and re-introduce approximately 20 minutes later – if they still refuse, then end the meal and try again another day and next time don’t remind them they refused that food before! Don’t give them a nice food after they’ve rejected a “yucky” food, nice food should be a reward for eating well.
Finally and it sounds obvious, avoid snacks or drinks close to mealtimes as these fill up children…oh, and don’t worry about their food intake, it will change again as they get older!
