Is it a battle of wills at mealtimes, getting your kids to eat the foods you have lovingly prepared for them? Do they turn their noses up at the sight of anything vegetable or cheesy? There are all sorts of fussy eaters. Some children will only eat a very limited range of foods, others will refuse to eat foods that have a certain texture or flavor – anything made from tomatoes is a bit tricky for many kids for example, but with of effort you can encourage your kids to eat a reasonably good range of foods.
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Write it down
If you write down the things that your child eats, you may be surprised at the range of foods in their diet. As long as their diet contains protein, carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, fats, minerals and vitamins they should be healthy enough but if they refuse an entire food group then you may wish to take action. Take a look at The Eatwell Plate or Food Pyramid for more information.
Stick With What You Know
Keep preparing the foods you know your child likes. You can then introduce a new item alongside these foods gradually. So for example, you know your child likes Cottage Pie, you can introduce a different vegetable accompaniment each time you serve it. Remember encouragement and praise works wonders when your child is trying a new food.
Don’t Get Cross
When you have spent the best part of an hour or more creating an appetising tea, it is really easy to get ever-so slightly irritated if your little angel won’t eat it. It is important to remain calm and offer gentle encouragement so that they at least have a taste. A reasonable compromise is to allow your child to leave their food, after they have had a taste. When they have tasted you can offer praise and they may well eat a bit more!
Don’t Offer Pudding Rewards
It’s not the best idea to offer a reward of a sweet pudding or dessert if your child eats their main course. This will only encourage your child to eat more than they would otherwise. A better course of action would be a sticker chart with a non-food reward at the end.
Snacks and Drinks
If your child is not eating at mealtimes, there is every chance that they are filling themselves up with snacks or drinks during the day. Sugary or fatty snacks and milky drinks in particular are notoriously bad for ruining healthy appetites. Offer healthier alternatives such as dried fruit, carrot sticks or toast fingers and water or diluted juice to drink. This way, if your child doesn’t eat at teatime, at least they will have had some healthy fuel that day.
More Advice
If you have concerns about your child’s eating, it is a good idea to seek professional help from your GP or Health Visitor. They can check your child’s weight and general health and provide nutritional advice and further referrals if necessary.