How to Tackle Fussy Eating in Toddlers: Practical Tips for Parents
Author Charlotte Stirling-Reed, @sr_nutrition, Founder Charlotte Stirling-Reed, The Baby & Child Nutritionist and Best Selling Author , will be a speaker at The Baby Show www.thebabyshow.co.uk, which is returning to London Olympia from 25 – 27 October 2024
The toddler years can be a tricky time for parents, and fussy eating is one of the most common challenges that SO many of us go through!
Whether they’re refusing meals and demanding snacks all day, loving a meal one day and then totally ignoring it the next, favouring ‘plain’ or simple foods only or totally refusing to try new foods, it can be a really frustrating phase.
In this article, I wanted to share some of my top tips for dealing with fussy eating as although it can feel totally helpless, there ARE things we can do to make it easier for everyone!
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Focus on a Positive Mealtime Environment
Taking the attention away from what is or isn’t being eaten and trying to create a positive mealtime environment can really help to make mealtimes a little less stressful. Kids can quickly pick up on stress and anxiety and that can actually reduce their appetite and make them LESS likely to eat. Mealtimes are as much about connection as they are about food getting eaten. Whenever you can, eat together with your kids to role model you eating a variety of foods. This is why I love Stokke Tripp Trapp for making it so easy to get your baby involved in mealtimes as a family. Focusing on eating foods YOU enjoy also takes away pressure and attention from them, which in turn can make them more likely to eat and enjoy the foods with you.
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Don’t give up offering!
It may seem pointless offering your toddler a food they keep rejecting! But familiarity is one of the key predictors to kids eating and enjoying foods, and it can take MANY exposures to a food before they’re willing to give it a try. Sometimes simply offering a tiny amount of a food, or putting it in the middle of the table and letting them serve themselves can give them a little autonomy and control.
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Stick to a routine
Having a predictable and consistent routine helps toddlers know what to expect and can help them to regulate their own hunger throughout the day. If your toddler comes to you asking for a snack after they’ve just refused a meal, you can tell them that the next snack/meal will be at X time. Of course, expect a little pushback, but having a good routine can really help toddlers to know when their next meal will be and make them less likely to ask in between.
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Let them follow their appetite
Young children are very good at regulating their own appetite, and they know best how hungry or full they are. Offer small portions and allow them to ask for more if they’re still hungry. Similarly, if they’re not hungry, respect their decision not to eat. Remember that it’s our job to provide the food, and it’s their job to decide whether and how much they want to eat. It’s not our job to ‘get’ our children to eat.
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Patience!
Overcoming fussy eating is a gradual process, and toddlers are likely to go through multiple phases of food refusal, so it’s essential to be patient. Try to focus on small wins – maybe they didn’t pick out the peas from their sauce, or they tried a mouthful of a new meal. As much as you can, don’t focus on the ‘bad’ days and always try to look at what your little one is eating over the course of a whole week, rather than just one meal or day. It can take time, but fussy eating can get easier!
I hope these tips are helpful. I know first hand just how stressful fussy eating can be, and I speak to parents EVERY day who are finding it tough! Remember you’re not alone, and it’s not your fault! If you ever have concerns about your child’s growth or health as a result of their fussy eating or you feel like it’s ‘more’ than fussy eating, it’s important to speak to a health professional to seek specialised support for your child.