Is your child a fussy Eater ?

Open Your Mouth – HaHaHa

It’s just a phase – a passing one. And you’re not alone; most of the parents are going through the same. Don’t feel frustrated and powerless when your toddler simply refuses to eat certain foods. It’s normal because fussy eating is part of children’s development.

Here are some tips for the fussy eaters in the family.

• 1. Be calm- You really have to maintain a broad picture of your child’s eating habits and not just focus on one day. Life is too exciting for children sometimes, and they’re too busy exploring the world around them to spend time eating. Have realistic expectations. Never force your child to try a food. Also ignore it as much as you can. Giving fussy eating lots of attention can sometimes encourage children to keep behaving this way. Keep offering previously refused foods. – it may take lots of attempts before your child accepts some foods.
• 2. Have structured meal-times- If the family dinner is late in the evening, your child may be too tired to eat. Serve their meal earlier. Don’t rush. Avoid talking about food. Do set a time limit of, say 20-30 minutes for the meal. If the food isn’t eaten, take it away. Anything that goes on too long isn’t fun.
• 3. Have some fun & games- Try to make your child’s food not only taste good but look good too. Offer a range of colorful foods on the plate and allow your child to pick and choose what they will eat from there. Also involve your child in making meals - being involved in the planning and preparation of a meal can stimulate a child’s appetite. Sneak some veggies in when they’re not looking. Make healthy foods fun – for example, cut sandwiches into interesting shapes. Take them to grocery shop and let them choose the fruit and vegetables. Build a story around the food items and make characters. Once the food has character and is associated with their favorites, they will gobble it all up without any fuss.
• 4. Be careful about rewards- Do praise your child when they try something new - but don’t overdo it. Don’t use lollies, chocolates, biscuits, milk or desserts as bribes. This can make the child more interested in treats than healthy food. It also sends the message that eating healthy food is a chore.
• 5. Avoid distractions- Don't use distractions such as television, YouTube, games or toys to distract the child while you spoon in the food.
• 5. Modeling Behavior- Don’t expect your child to eat something you will not!

Do let us know how does it go in the comments below. If you want to ask us anything, write to us on our Facebook or Instagram page.