Tips for dealing with your picky toddler eater

     When your baby is born, you are thrilled when he drinks a full bottle or learns to nurse like a champ. Fast forward a few months and in come the days of solid food. It’s such fun to have your child sit in a highchair and eat Cheerios, tiny pieces of what is on your plate—and then throw everything on the floor or at the wall!

     Eating is one of the first ways toddlers begin to show personality and learn they can say no. Your child may not like every food you give him on the first try. Give your child a chance to try foods multiple times, even if he does not like them at first. Children may need to try some foods many times before they actually like them.

     Try freezing small bites of different foods you can use later to avoid throwing a lot of food away. Wait a week before you try the new food again and try mixing the new food with a food your baby likes, such as breast milk.

     As children get older, they may start refusing foods they used to like and show signs of picky eating. Favoring a couple foods and not wanting foods to touch each other on the plate are normal behaviors. These often go away by the time your child is around 5 years old.

     Remember to be silly and make mealtime fun. Make funny faces with the foods on your child’s plate. It may help her get excited to eat it. My kids loved the heart and teddy bear shaped pancakes I made. Go ahead and eat a bite of the food first to show your child you like it, then your child will try it. Let your child decide which food she wants to try today.

     Most youngsters are great eaters. At my daughter’s first birthday party, I recall she happily ate broccoli and peaches and would have nothing to do with her birthday cake. A few months later, she wouldn’t touch the broccoli.

     There are some reasons why 1-year-olds change their eating habits. Children’s growth velocity slows down dramatically after that first birthday. The average child gains 15 pounds in the first year of life, and only five pounds in their second year. Most of the food your baby ate went to growth, while most of a toddler’s food will go to running around and playing, which means hunger will be variable. Some days they will be hungrier than they are other days.

     The average toddler or preschooler will eat just enough to get the energy to play more. When their tank is refilled, away they go!

     Many of us were raised that you eat what is on your plate or go hungry. My mother said to eat what you want and leave the rest. This saved many meltdowns, and I often did this in my household. It is amazing how a child can eat around the carrots on the plate!

     Remember, do not bribe, coerce or force your children to eat. Sit your toddler down for three well-rounded meals per day and at least one healthy snack in between. Offer a variety of foods at each meal. Be aware of your responses to food refusal: If you go ahead and make mac and cheese when your son won’t eat the chicken nuggets, you are teaching him that to get mac and cheese, he has to simply whine and refuse the food he doesn’t want.

     It’s tough sometimes, but children won’t starve themselves! Try placing the plate in the fridge and give him a chance to try it again if he decides he is hungry later. As kids’ parents, we are in control of the quality of food they are offered, and they are in control of how much they eat of it.

     Another way to insure you little one will be ready to eat with you is to minimize snacks. Veggie Straws and Goldfish Crackers may seem great on the car ride home, but when kids fill up on those, they won’t be apt to eat the hamburger you fix later. Try offering an apple or a pear for a snack.

     Once again, our kids are great imitators! If Mom is eating peas, the toddler will want some. In today’s world, family meals are harder to manage, so make an effort as often as you can to sit at the table together.

     Another tip is to involve those little hands in the cooking process. Let your toddler help you mash the potatoes, cut the hot dogs or pour the noodles in the water. Baking is a great way to share the joy of making good food, too. This will increase the odds that your child will eat!

     And if you don’t want your children to eat something, do not buy it at the store. This is where good nutrition begins. If the only options are fruits and vegetables, it is likely your toddler will eat them. Let your child go grocery shopping with you and let him pick one fun item, such as Popsicles, cookies or chips. Then, together, decide when you eat them. This way, food will never be the focus of life, which can help stave off obesity and food issues.

Judy Goppert lives in Lee’s Summit. She enjoys drawing on her personal experiences to write about the nuances of everything wonderful about life.

As always, please consult your health care provider with any questions or concerns.

Sources: CDC.gov/nutrition, Health.choc.org