Finding Foods for Your Fussy Toddler

If your child knows she can get whatever food she asks for, why would she try anything new? When you cater to your child’s pickiness by fixing a separate meal just for her, you’re just enabling poor eating habits. Instead, you should set out a variety of healthy foods and encourage your child to try a bite of everything. She may choose to sample only one or two of them, but at least you’ve made it easier for her to experiment with new tastes and textures. She/he may not like certain types of veggies but keep introducing it to them maybe they will like it one day.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

A healthy child will not starve or be undernourished if he has access to a variety of wholesome food. If you are really worried about what your toddler eats, keep a chart for a week and write down everything he eats. You will probably be surprised, but if you are in doubt, check it at your local child health centre. If your child eats very poorly, a vitamin supplement could be useful. Children have the natural ability to know how much food they need and they do not usually overeat. However they can easily lose this skill. Allow children to eat by themselves do not feed them. This will only make them want to be fed all the time. All children are messy eaters, and they spill often. Learning table manners and how to use forks and spoons neatly takes time.

Here are some ways to get your toddler to eat:�¯�¿�½

Make it fun, decorate you child’s meal. Add carrots for a nose and peas for the eyes. For a treat you can sometimes make the meal into a picture such as a potato face with pieces of vegetable for the eyes, nose and mouth.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

Do not ever try to force a toddler to eat. It can cause choking and make the child dislike the food. Adults would not like to be forced to eat food that they don’t like.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

Allow children to help prepare the meal. It takes longer but encourages interest in the food. Let them help placing the food on the counter and washing it. Do not let them slice anything with a knife or sharp object. Children will be more interested in eating when they are involved in mealtime jobs. Have them wash fruits and veggies, take out the garbage with you, wash dishes, and place food on the cutting board.�¯�¿�½

Encourage good eating by providing appealing meals and snacks in a form your child can handle (such as small pieces for finger feeding, or soft foods that don’t take a lot of chewing).Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

Many parents would characterize the typical toddler as being a picky eater. Keep in mind that even if your toddler is a picky eater, if he is growing normally and is physically active, with a lot of energy, then his diet is probably okay. Toddlers will often want to try what their parents are eating and that is a good opportunity to get them to try some new foods, although you may have to offer it several times before they even think of trying it. The typical serving size for a toddler is about 1/4 of what an adult size serving would be, so you would only expect a toddler to eat 1/4 of a slice of bread, 1-2 tablespoons of vegetables, or 1 ounce of meat. If your toddler is drinking too much milk and/or juice, she may be too full to eat, so follow the typical recommendations of 16-24 ounces of milk and 4-6 ounces of juice.�¯�¿�½

Children differ in their needs for food and their feelings about it. Some are hearty eaters, while others are very picky. Some children always eat big meals; others eat small amounts often throughout the day. Given Serve child-size portions that the child can finish before getting too full. A good rule is one level tablespoon of food for each year of age. For example, a three-year-old would get three tablespoons each of several different healthy foods. If in doubt, always start small, you can always give a second helping if he eats the first.