Nutrition: How can I stop my toddler being a fussy eater?

If your baby or toddler is a fussy eater who refuses to eat certain food or try new types of food, you may worry about whether your child’s fussy eating will make them deficient in the nutrition their growing body needs.

Is it normal for a child to be a fussy eater?

Although you may have a fussy eater on your hands, it is common for babies, toddlers and young children to be picky with food.

You do not have to worry if your child is a picky eater. Remember that as long as your child is growing and developing, maintaining a healthy weight, keeping active and is healthy overrall, they are getting the nutrition they need

There are steps you can take to deal with fussy eaters to help them become more open to new foods.

Why is my child a picky eater?

A child could be a picky eater for a number of reasons. They may not like the taste, shape, colour or texture of the food in front of them.

It is fine if your child leaves a bit of food on the plate during mealtimes every now and then. The portion may have been a little too big. Perhaps they do not yet like the flavour of the carrots.

What your child finds tasty will change over time. Just because they refused to eat that piece of broccoli last night, it does not mean they will not like it next Wednesday.

The reason that your child is not eating their meals and snack may not be because they are a fussy eater. Your child may be in a bad mood, be too tired or they may simply not be hungry.

Alternatively, they want your attention and refusing to eat can give them control.

If you have struggled with getting your toddler to eat certain things for a while, the tips below on how to deal with fussy eaters may be useful to you.

How to handle a fussy eater

Getting a child to eat fruits and vegetables and other things from the four main food groups takes time. It’s better to focus less on what your fussy toddler eats in a day and think about what they eat over the course of a week.

There are a few factors that could influence your child’s willingness to eat.

Top tips to manage a fussy eater

• Try to have a quiet time before it is time for dinner. This can make your child relax and creates a stress-free environment.
• Always aim to make mealtimes a happy and social occasion, that your child will look forward to.
• Serve your child the same food as the rest of the family and try to eat at the same time. Children love to copy what others do and will learn to eat what you eat.
• Start with small portions when giving them a new food to try.
• Give your child praise and encouragement, even if they only eat some of it.
• Do not force your child to eat certain foods. Stay calm even if it is frustrating and try again another time.
• Involve your child in cooking and preparing the meal. A child will be more inclined to eat something if they have created it themselves.
• Be patient if your child is eating slowly. Use this time for a nice chat.
• Avoid giving your child too many snacks during the day. Your child can run the risk of being too full when it comes to dinner.
• Avoid using dessert as a reward for eating vegetables. This makes the dessert valuable and the opposite for the vegetables, which can have an adverse effect.
• Offer your child a few choices of food.
• Try to vary the way a food item that is refused is prepared. Specifically, consider varying how it is cooked, how it looks on the plate, how you season it. changing its colour and concealing the food item in other food.

Meals for fussy eaters

A classic way to make children eat things they may not like is to sneak them into other meals. If you know your child likes the beef stew, mush up some carrots or other vegetables and put it in the pot.

The opportunities are endless, but it may be difficult to make something up on the spot. A good way to ensure your child eats something they would normally refuse is to plan meals in advance. This way you can look at each recipe and get ideas on what to add.

For example, here are some breakfast ideas:

• Mix mashed fruit, such as banana, with unsweetened porridge or low-sugar cereal.
• Toast fingers paired with mashed banana, peanut butter or eggs.
• Banana pancakes.

Many children are fussy eaters, particularly when it comes to new and healthy food. Read our 10 tips on how you can encourage your child to eat healthily.