Fussy Eaters. Grrrr.
1. They Won’t Starve Themselves.
Chill out. Research shows over and over that children are VERY UNLIKELY to not meet their daily calorie requirements.
So focus instead on giving your child a healthy nutritional environment.
Encourage them to explore new foods and to participate in cooking and food shopping.
Let your child choose an item to buy from the supermarket – so long as it’s something they’ve never tried before.
When they’re old enough, give them a little money to buy a new food (also a great way of learning numbers and costs). I
You could let them find something new for you to try too, and give yourselves a reward for tasting it. (Be brave…even if it is Okra)
If you truly are worried – speak to the GP.
2. Let them Cook
Make cooking a time for fun and working together.
Not just fairy cakes either.
Measuring, mixing, adding ingredients and timing are all educationally rich, and gives them skill and confidence for the future.
Let them use a knife. Really. Teach them how to hold it, respect it and use it carefully.
If you can cope with the initial carnage, pouring drinks is great for coordination and balance.
3. Patience.
Research suggests that the chance of a toddler accepting a new food only increases after we’ve offered it to them more than eight times.
If the answer is still ‘no’, not to show them that you are bothered, mention that it’s a shame because Grandma or Daddy loves it, and you think they’re missing out.
Make ‘taking a tiny bite of everything on my plate’ or ‘sitting at the table until I’m finished’ unwavering rules.
If you’re cooking for a picky eater, try not to spend more than ten minutes cooking it.
The less time you invest, the less frustrated you’ll feel if gets filed under B for bin.
4. Hobson’s Choice
Try not to keep biscuits and crisps etc in the house. In fact… just don’t.
That way, when your child does eventually feel hungry, there will only be healthy snacks available. If you want to keep some snacks, try using a Snack Jar to limit intake of these around mealtimes.
That way, when your child does eventually feel hungry, there will only be healthy snacks available. If you want to keep some snacks, try using a Snack Jar to limit intake of these around mealtimes.
Personally, we never buy them, but if we are out and about we might. But home food, should really be ‘food’.
5. Try not to get angry
Stick fast to your rules. Make sure there really will be NO pudding if you say that! If they throw themselves onto the floor screaming for half an hour, then they are likely to end up knackered and in bed earlier. So you win again. Be strong. Don’t let them break you, soldier.
6. Don’t panic
Ask your doctor about supplements if you are really worried. But trust me when I say that my very fussy 2 year old (who would medically dissect every component of his dinner) has grown into a strapping young man who eats very well.
He would also give the chap on Man Vs Food a run for his money capacity-wise.