Fussy Eaters

I have quickly learnt kids go through stages with their eating, what foods they like and what they are willing to eat.

I don’t know how many ways I have tried to get my two year old to her eat veges! Sometimes she will eat most of them,

Here are a few tips and things I have tried to help ease meal-time for our daughter:

• If your child is really that hungry they will eat – We all have a strong inbuilt mechanism for survival. If your child is happy and healthy, don’t be too worried if they aren’t eating very much at some meal times. Just remember you child is not going to let herself/himself go starving for too long and not let you know about it!

• Try no to get upset - If your fussy toddler still isn’t eating his/her veges after all your tireless attempts to get even just a few mouthfuls down the hatch, try not to show them your frustration. This is only going to add to their negative feelings about meal time.

• Keep offering healthy foods – The more often you offer your child healthy options at meal time, the more likely they are going to realise this is their ONLY option at meal times!

• Have a routine in place - Kids actually like being a routine, it provides them with a sense of security. Have set times of the day where you sit down with them for breakfast, lunch and dinner so they know when to expect to eat.

• Give them options – Often kids like to have some control over the decision making process. Give them a couple of options, eg ask "Would you like spaghetti on toast or macaroni cheese?", or show them the options and let them decide. More than likely they will eat a good portion of it if they’ve chosen what they’ll be eating.

• Let them help in the preparation – A lot of kids love to feel responsible and like they’re a part of the process of getting something done. An idea - Cut up/gather all the necessary ingredients required to make them sandwich. Let them sit at the dining table with you and help put it all together! So for instance, help them guide a butterknife over the bread while your spread the butter. Or just let them place the bits of cheese and ham on the bread the way they want it! Or even sprinkle a few 100’s and 1000’s on to make fairy bread. So with a little patience and a lot of supervision, perhaps let them help you make lunch tomorrow!

• Let their favourite toy join in – One day I was having trouble getting my daughter to eat any breakfast at all. All of a sudden she piped up and said "Bubby, eat?" I asked, "What, you want bubby to eat too?" She was very excited about this! So I sat her toy baby doll next to her and offered her bubby a mouthful, and made bubby pretend to eat it, then Isabella would laugh and happily open her mouth for the next mouthful! Now sometimes when I’m trying to get her to eat her veges and she won’t, I say "Look, yum yum, bubby is eating her veges!" Sometimes it works, other times it doesn’t. You’ve still got to try to be relaxed about it.

• Involve other family members – Sometimes Isabella will only eat if her Daddy is feeding her. So if she’s not responding to me helping her eat, I often pass on the task to my partner to get her to eat dinner.

So I help these tips and ideas help you with your fussy eaters! Remember, its more than likely this is just a phase they’re going through! So be strong and and keep encouraging to eat healthy foods, and more than likely you’ll eventually get there! Good luck!

A couple of great articles on fussy eaters:

 http://huggies.com.au/BeingAParent/FeedingYourBaby/KidsHealthIssues/PickyEaters.asp

http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/Nutrition_for_All_Ages/Children/panicky_parents_guide_to_fussy_eaters_fs.asp

 Check out this website for great recipe ideas!

 http://www.kidspot.com.au/topic+13+Food.htm