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The dos and don’ts of feeding a fussy eater

Is he eating enough? What if he never eats vegetables? Is it possible for a toddler to live on bananas alone? Dealing with a picky eater can be incredibly stressful for parents, but it’s important to remember that some degree of fussy eating in children is considered ‘normal’, especially those aged between 2 and 4. While many children will grow out of it, there are things you can do to encourage them to try new foods – and a few you absolutely shouldn’t do.

Do…

Stick to a routine. Eat meals at around the same time every day and try to limit distractions by turning off the TV and putting cellphones away.

Eat together as a family. Not only is it an opportunity for quality time, children are also more likely to try a new food if they see other people – particularly other kids – enjoying it.

Model good behaviour. Children learn a lot from their parents and if they see that you have a healthy relationship with food (and don’t wretch when you eat your broccoli), they’ll follow your lead.

Keep introducing them to new flavours and textures. Even if they reject them at first, repeated exposure is key in getting children to try different foods.

Get them involved in choosing new foods to try. When you do the grocery shopping, ask them what vegetables from the shelves they might like to taste. If they can help in the kitchen prep, that’s even better, as they’re generally more inclined to eat something if they’ve had a hand in preparing it.

Make food fun. Add variety through colour, shape, size and texture: think fruit slices dipped in Squish 100% fruit purees with yoghurt, or sandwiches cut into interesting shapes.

Let them decide how much they want. It’s your responsibility to offer them healthy foods, but let them choose how much they eat. Squish 100% Fruit & Vegetable Purees now come in a toddler-sized 200ml pack for babies and toddlers with larger appetites.

Dish up small portions. Eating one tablespoon of peas will look a lot more manageable to a toddler than a mound of them on a plate. They can always choose to have more.

Limit snacks between meals. A hungry child is, of course, more likely to eat their supper.

Give them a choice. Ask them if they’d prefer peas or carrots with their chicken. And try pairing something they do like – carrots, for example – with something they’re not sure about – like gem squash – as it might make the new food seem less daunting.

Don’t…

Force them to eat something. Encourage them, yes, but don’t force-feed – it will only give them a negative connotation with mealtimes and that particular food.

Resort to negotiations. Saying things like ‘you can watch TV after supper if you eat your greens’ will only reinforce the idea that they won’t enjoy vegetables, and they’ll start to expect a reward for eating them.

Make them another meal. If a toddler learns that rejecting the meal in front of them results in you making something else, they’ll do it again. If they’re hungry, they’ll eat something – this is why it’s also important to include something they do like to eat at every meal.

Give them the same thing every day. They might like butternut and you’re desperate to get any sort of vegetable in them, but don’t serve it to them every day. Try saying something like, ‘you had butternut yesterday so today we’re having gem squash – you can have butternut again tomorrow if you want’. This will help them get used to eating different foods every day.

Ban sweets or desserts entirely. You may unintentionally make those foods seem more valuable or desirable, then kids are more likely to overindulge when they do have access to them. Rather, try to teach them to enjoy treat food in moderation by letting them have, for example, one biscuit or sweet a day.

Panic. Your child’s tastebuds will change over the years and they’ll learn to love different foods at different times – in fact, you’ve probably seen this many times already when your child refuses to eat something he clearly loved yesterday. So long as they’re eating something – even if it is just yoghurt, pumpkin and the occasional piece of cheese – they’ll be alright.

The Squish range of fruit, veg and yoghurt purees in a 110ml and bigger 200ml toddler pack size can help with even the fussiest of eaters. Packed with 100% fruit and veg, the whole range is free from preservatives, colourants and flavourants.

Content created by www.babyyumyum.co.za and should not be considered a substitute for medical advice.