5 Tips for Parents of Picky Eater
Wait. What happened? Your previously amazingly adventurous baby has turned into a picky toddler and child. Now, all she wants is her four favorite foods? You’ve tried to hold off on giving them to her, but she’s so stubborn, she literally WON’T eat anything else!
Don’t worry. You’re not alone. Picky eating is often the norm for toddlers and older children. After the rapid growth of infancy, when babies can trip their birth weight, a toddler’s growth rate really slows down. This also means, that their appetite and food requirement slow down too. Here are some tips to help your child eat a variety of healthy and nutritious food:
1. Don’t stress
While we know it’s a parent’s job to worry, please try not to. Don’t worry. This is a work in progress. Rome wasn’t built in a day and your child may not be a good eater in a year, or even two! It’s going to take time, dedication and patience. Also, if you have ever met a toddler, you will know that they can be stubborn, so make sure to have a lackadaisical attitude about this topic. The more your child realizes this is important to you, the more they may withhold eating, just to win the battle! So take it from us: try to keep the entire experience as positive as possible.
2. Make food fun and messy
This is a common error parents can make. Mealtime at the infancy and toddler age is supposed to be fun and messy. Children need to explore foods in a variety of way, they need to make a mess, they need to have fun. Have them approach foods the same way a toddler would approach a worm on the sidewalk .
“Oh. What’s this? Let me touch it. It’s slimy, it moves…I’m going to put it in my mouth----“!.
AH! You’re picturing it, aren’t you? See what we did there? Toddlers explore with their mouths, so let them do the same with food. Make arts and crafts with vegetables. Let them help you with mashing potatoes by using their hands. Try not to cringe, try not to stress about the mess and let their brains grow as they get this fun and tasty sensory experience.
3. Make sure they are not drinking all their calories
Be careful here! One of the most common mistakes parents can make is not paying attention to how many calories their toddlers are drinking. Drinks can be filling and not allow for real food. A child should have approximately 16 oz of milk (or a milk substitute) per day, and the rest should be water. Unless specifically recommended by your pediatrician, we do not recommend pediasure or toddler formulas because they tend to…., yes you got it! Make children become picky eaters!
4. Remember the rule of thumb: You decide what they eat , they decide how much
That’s it. That’s the take home message. Offer your child what you WANT them to eat, for breakfast, lunch and dinner with two small (not very filling) healthy snacks in between. If your toddler decides to take three bites for one meal, don’t fret, they may eat well the next meal or the next day. That’s very normal! Don’t change your approach just to suit their needs. Remember who the boss is!
5. Set a good example for your child.
This is the most important thing. Parenting is the most difficult experience in self-reflection and in awareness. But ask yourself: are you setting a good example? Are you eating healthy foods? Are you eating dinner regularly as a family? Are you enjoying your meals, making happy and satisfying faces when you eat your vegetables? Your children are watching. Remember, children who grow up in other countries eat the foods native to their country. Why is that? Because that is the example that is being set for them. What your children see and get exposed to is what will lay the ground work for the rest of their lives. You can do this!
In short, it is not unusual for children to develop picky eating habits at some point in their lives. The road to having children become good eaters is a long one and mistakes are imminent. But if you’re reading this article, it means you’re looking for tips and you should commend yourself for taking the first step towards improving your child’s relationship with food!
For more tips on picky eating, visit our podcast episode #3 on all Podcast streaming platforms.
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