Fussy Eaters
If your child is a fussy eater, it can make mealtimes very stressful which isn’t nice for anyone. Here we look at ways to encourage...
If your child is a fussy eater, it can make mealtimes very stressful which isn’t nice for anyone.
Here we look at ways to encourage your child to eat in a positive way to help ease the tension and hopefully allow everyone to enjoy mealtimes together. Are they eating enough? One of the biggest fears when you have a fussy eater is, are they getting enough food.
Rather than looking at the amount they eat per meal, or even per day, try looking at the week as a whole.
It is perfectly normal for a young child to eat more one meal than the next and just like us, sometimes they are hungrier from meal to meal or even day to day.
If your child refuses their meal, as long as they are growing, they will be fine.
Try not to offer them something else if they don’t eat what has been prepared, as your child is smart and will quickly learn that they get the food they enjoy just by refusing to eat what you have made them. Lead by example A child learns so much behaviour by what others do, so wherever possible, eat together as a family and try and have the same meal.
If you child has a friend who is a good eater, then invite them over too to see if this can encourage them to eat more, but don’t praise the other child for eating well as this will only highlight your child’s eating behaviours. It can be surprising the difference peer pressure can have on a child and their eating habits – do you find your child eats more when at nursery surrounded by their friends? Get them involved Let them see that food can be fun and not sometime to dread.
Get them involved in laying the table or even better preparing the food. Being hands on can change your child’s relationship with food and they may be more inclined to try it if they have made it themselves. Reward positive behaviour However difficult, try not to highlight any negative behaviour at the dinner table, but instead praise good behaviour, however small it may seem, it could be a big deal to your child.
Celebrate those little wins. Try, try and try again As your child learns more about different foods, tastes and textures, it is important to let them explore the foods themselves without pressure.
They also may love some food one day and then hate it the next, or likewise not touch one food for weeks but then try it eventually and love it. Always put a little of everything on their plate and then let them choose what they want to eat, hopefully in the long run they will try a little of everything without any added pressure. If you are introducing a new food to your child, then put it with something you know they will enjoy.
It can take some children 6-7 times to see a new food before trying it and 10-15 times before liking it, but not all foods will be enjoyed by everyone. Small portion sizes Limit how much you put on your child’s plate at first as sometimes too much can just overwhelm them. Even if you start with just 3 mouthfuls, if they finish it then they will be proud of themselves for finishing their plate and you can always offer more.
As your child gets older you can also try putting the food on the table for everyone to help themselves, they will feel more grownup and in control and hopefully then try more things as they are copy those around them. As mentioned at the beginning, having a fussy eater can be really stressful, try to stay calm and trust that they won’t go hungry.If you do become really concerned about the amount your child is eating, then do seek help and ask to be referred to a paediatric dietitian through your GP.
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/weaning-and-feeding/fussy-eaters.
If your child is a fussy eater, it can make mealtimes very stressful which isn’t nice for anyone.
Here we look at ways to encourage...