Having a
child who is a picky or fastidious eater can be a source of frustration to the
parent or caregiver, but we need to 1st make sure if your child’s
nutrition is actually deficient. Not uncommonly, many parents are under the
wrong impression that their child is not eating well; the indicators of adequate
nutrition include passing regular amounts of urine (indicate good hydration
status) and stools, and adequate growth parameters for age and gender on the growth
curves (you can find these in your child’s health record – if they’re not
filled, ask your child’s doctor about them).
In any case,
here are a few tips and tricks to help you better organize your child’s eating
habits:
1. Don’t force-feed your child
If your child isn't hungry, don't force a meal or snack. By the same
token, don't bribe or force your child to eat certain food items or wipe his
plate clean, this will only exacerbate the problem, and your child may
associate mealtime with anxiety. You may try to offer your child small frequent
portions so that he is not overwhelmed.
2. Establish a meals’
routine
Meals and snacks should follow a more or less steady schedule every
day. Avoid letting your child to fill up on juice, milk or snacks throughout
the day because this will interfere with his appetite for meals.
3. When introducing
new foods, be patient with your child
Children, like adults, would like to know their food before eating
it, so they often touch or smell new foods, and might even put small amounts in
their mouths to taste it and then spit them out again. Your child might need
repeated exposure to a new food before he takes the first bite.
4. Meal time should
be fun
Vegetables served with sauce, foods cut into favorite cartoon
characters or a smiley.
5. Set a good example
If
you eat a variety of healthy foods, your child is more likely to imitate you.
6. Minimize
distractions
Make
sure you turn off the TV and put away the smart phone/tablet during meals. This
will help your child focus on eating.
7. Dessert should not
be offered as a reward
If
you deny your child dessert, he may get the impression that dessert is the best
food, which might only increase your child's desire for sweets. Try choosing
one or two nights a week as dessert nights, and skip dessert the rest of the
week, or better even, offer healthy choices like fruit, yogurt.
8. Your child should
accept the available meal
Preparing
a separate meal for your child after he rejects the original meal might promote
picky eating. Encourage your child to stay at the table for the designated
mealtime, even if he refuses to eat. Keep serving your child healthy choices until
he becomes familiar with them and starts to enjoy eating them.
