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\u2019s important to remember that some degree of fussy eating in children is considered \u2018normal\u2019, 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 \u2013 and a few you absolutely shouldn\u2019t do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Stick to a routine.<\/strong> Eat meals at around the same time every day and try to limit distractions by turning off the TV and putting cellphones away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eat together as a family.<\/strong> Not only is it an opportunity for quality time, children are also more likely to try a new food if they see other people \u2013 particularly other kids \u2013 enjoying it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Model good behaviour.<\/strong> Children learn a lot from their parents and if they see that you have a healthy relationship with food (and don\u2019t wretch when you eat your broccoli), they\u2019ll follow your lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep introducing them to new flavours and textures.<\/strong> Even if they reject them at first, repeated exposure is key in getting children to try different foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get them involved in choosing new foods to try.<\/strong> 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\u2019s even better, as they\u2019re generally more inclined to eat something if they\u2019ve had a hand in preparing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make food fun.<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let them decide how much they want.<\/strong> It\u2019s 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 <\/em>for babies and toddlers with larger appetites.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Dish up small portions.<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Limit snacks between meals.<\/strong> A hungry child is, of course, more likely to eat their supper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Give them a choice.<\/strong> Ask them if they\u2019d prefer peas or carrots with their chicken. And try pairing something they do like \u2013 carrots, for example \u2013 with something they\u2019re not sure about \u2013 like gem squash \u2013 as it might make the new food seem less daunting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Force them to eat something.<\/strong> Encourage them, yes, but don\u2019t force-feed \u2013 it will only give them a negative connotation with mealtimes and that particular food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resort to negotiations.<\/strong> Saying things like \u2018you can watch TV after supper if you eat your greens\u2019 will only reinforce the idea that they won\u2019t enjoy vegetables, and they\u2019ll start to expect a reward for eating them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make them another meal.<\/strong> If a toddler learns that rejecting the meal in front of them results in you making something else, they\u2019ll do it again. If they\u2019re hungry, they\u2019ll eat something \u2013 this is why it\u2019s also important to include something they do like to eat at every meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Give them the same thing every day.<\/strong> They might like butternut and you\u2019re desperate to get any sort of vegetable in them, but don\u2019t serve it to them every day. Try saying something like, \u2018you had butternut yesterday so today we\u2019re having gem squash \u2013 you can have butternut again tomorrow if you want\u2019. This will help them get used to eating different foods every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ban sweets or desserts entirely.<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Panic.<\/strong> Your child\u2019s tastebuds will change over the years and they\u2019ll learn to love different foods at different times \u2013 in fact, you\u2019ve probably seen this many times already when your child refuses to eat something he clearly loved yesterday. So long as they\u2019re eating something \u2013 even if it is just yoghurt, pumpkin and the occasional piece of cheese \u2013 they\u2019ll be alright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n