When a child refuses to eat certain foods or eats the same things repeatedly, this is known as fussy eating. Fussy eating is most common among toddlers and preschool children. Many parents are concerned that their fussy eater isn’t getting enough food to grow. Rest assured, if your child is active, gaining weight, and looking healthy, they are eating enough. As they become older, they’ll probably be less fussy about what they like to eat.
How To Deal with Fussy eaters
- Do not force-feed
If you force your child to eat when they don’t want to, they may begin to associate feeding with tension and discomfort, making them even fussier. - Do not get angry
It is counter intuitive and may make your child associate mealtimes with negative feelings. - Encourage food touching, licking, smelling and tasting
Give them a chance to try touching a new meal before serving it. You can even ask your child to lick a piece of food before attempting a mouthful. And congratulate your child on their efforts. - Give small portions
Try to give small portions of the dinner that the family is already eating. - Keep trying
Let them help choose meals and get involved in making the meals. Make mealtimes fun and interactive during mealtimes. - Make food attractive
If the food looks more appealing, your child may be more encouraged to eat it. So get creative and make funny faces with the food. There are lots of fun shaped animal bowls and spoons that are available to make mealtime more fun. - Minimise distractions
Make food the focal point of your meals. Turn off the television, put away the toys and books, and encourage your child to concentrate on eating. - Offer multiple food choices
Let your child pick what they want to eat and learn what their own likes and dislikes are. - Offer praise
Children thrive on encouragement and positive reinforcement. - Track food sensitivities
When you know what food your child doesn’t like, you can avoid giving them in the future.
An assessment by your paediatrician, dietician and a speech therapist can assist with making sure you’re heading into the right journey of getting your child to enjoy eating foods.