We feel your pain: one day they’re devouring what you dish up, the next they’re throwing it on the floor and screaming like a banshee.
Believe it or not, this type of behaviour is all part and parcel of the joys of parenting and is more common than you might think.
Experts say fussy eating is all part of a child’s development. It’s their way of exploring their environment and asserting their independence. And it’s also because their appetites go up and down depending on how much they’re growing and how active they are.
The good news is that they’re likely to grow out of their fussy eating as they get older.
Meanwhile, there are a few tricks and tips to take the stress out of meal times, says Debbie Evans, Founder and Clinical Director of Sydney’s children’s therapy service, Therapies for Kids.
Here are her top five hacks that will have your problem child eating right in no time.
1. Eating is a social activity
Research demonstrates that children are more likely to try new foods when eating with an adult. By sharing at least one meal with kids per day, this gives them the opportunity to talk about food choices, daily activities and healthy lifestyle. Therefore, eating becomes a social activity. During these shared meal times, avoid distractions including television, electronic devices and toys so that the child is able to focus on the skills and movements required for eating.
2. Same food for everyone
Make sure that everyone has the same variety of food as well as a serving of ‘safe food’. ‘Safe food’ is a food choice that a child will happily consume and should also be served to everyone at the table. For example, if a child will only eat plain pasta, then everyone should also have a serve of plain pasta. At the same time if a family member likes broccoli, then everyone should also have broccoli on their plate. This provides children an opportunity to learn about different types of food and discuss this with who they are eating with.
3. Talk about the food on their plate
Try reframing negative food statements like “I don’t like it” and “I hate that food” to facilitate positive food discussion. It is helpful to ask kids questions about food to help them learn about what they are consuming, e.g. “Why is food good to eat?” This provides an opportunity to educate your child about nutritious food. For example, “This food has vitamins that stops you getting sick and helps make your bones strong.” Through discussion, this enables kids to develop confidence to explore food.
4. Rainbow challenge
Challenge your child to eat a different coloured food each day. Utilise a rainbow placement or chart on the fridge to track the variety of foods they consume. This challenge will facilitate discussion about how the food looks, its colour and how it feels. Encourage children to make their own food choices by selecting the colour of food and assisting with the preparation of their food choices.
5. Explore and play with food
Help your child develop the confidence to explore food. There are a number of ways to engage kids in exploring food such as getting them to assist in preparing dinner, washing vegetables, tossing salads and cutting simple vegetables with safe knives. This is a great opportunity to discuss with children where food comes from and the importance of a variety of foods.
