7 Effective tips to employ if your child is a fussy eater

Happy Mealtimes: 7 Effective tips to note if your child is a fussy eater

Sarah Khan

18 Jan 2017

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Got a picky eater on your hands?
Flick through our gallery to learn some handy tips in dealing with your fussy eating child!
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Prepare food that looks and tastes appetising
Just like you, your child would naturally be more inclined to eat food that looks and tastes great. Healthy and nutritious meals need not need to mean dreary, bland-looking dishes. Have fun and get creative in preparing their dishes - make mini portions of their meals or put together appetising chicken or fruit skewers, for instance!
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Praise and encourage your child
We understand it may be hard not to, but it's really important to hide your frustrations when your child flatly refuses to finish their meal or is picky about what they eat. Instead, give them lots of praise when they eat well or try something new. This makes mealtime a less stressful and more enjoyable experience. Remember that as a parent, your energy and mood around your child has profound bearings on them, so be sure to be positive, encouraging and calm. This will make them more likely to be receptive to what you're getting them to eat.
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Be crafty with incorporating greens
If your children refuse to eat their greens, create recipes where vegetables can be blended into, like a healthy fruit or green smoothie, or mashed potatoes with carrots. What your child can't see, they won't pick out to be fussy about.
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Involve your child in the cooking preparation
Most children adore cooking, or chipping in where they can. You'll find that they gravitate towards tasks like cracking eggs, squeezing juices or whisking mixes! It's incredible how being involved in the planning and preparation of a meal can stimulate your child's appetite.
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Expose your child to as many foods from young
It's important to introduce your little one to as many foods as possible at an early age. While your child might respond well to certain foods, others like vegetables may be a little trickier. Make mealtimes an interactive session; explain to your child where vegetables come from and why they are so good for you. Giving them facts could make them more interested in what they are eating and therefore more receptive to it too.
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Use rewards schemes
Reward schemes like a sticker chart on your kitchen fridge can work well for older children. Create the chart yourself and personalise it with images of your child's favourite characters (a little tip: anything Frozen-related seems to do the trick these days!).
Every time your child eats something new, give them a sticker. Once they have accumulated a few stickers, reward them with a prize. Make the first prize easily attainable in the beginning so as to incentivise your child to get eating!
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Create your own healthy ‘junk food’
Avoid stocking your kitchen with empty calorie snacks that your children might like, like crisps or soft drinks. Instead, keep a supply of healthy snacks on hand or better still, make your own healthy 'junk food' alternatives! Instead of sugar-filled sweet treats for dessert, opt for fresh fruit lollies made using fresh juices and sliced fruits, for instance.

These tried-and-tested tips will turn your fussy eating child into a healthy eater in no time.

Most children go through a phase of fussy eating, whether it’s picking at their food before adamantly pushing their plates away, only selectively eating a few of their favourite foods, or completely refusing to eat at all during mealtimes. In fact, ninety percent of children go through at least one lengthy stage of fussy eating. So if you find yourself in a frustrating battle of will with your child during meals, fret not; you’re not alone in this struggle.

Fussy eating habits typically develop around the age of 12 months, as this is a period when your child’s growth rate slows, resulting in a decrease in appetite. Between 18 and 24 months, this becomes problematic, as children begin to exert their independence and choice. In most cases, fussy eating is a transient; however, if you’re concerned that the habit seems to be persisting for your little one, there are ways to tweak that! Whether you’re concerned that your child is not eating enough greens or simply refuses to touch his or her food during mealtimes, we’ve got you covered. Head up to our gallery above for 7 effective tips to note when dealing with your little picky eater.

Sarah Khan

Photos: GettyImages

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