Making Fussy Eaters a thing of the past
If you’re currently dealing with a fussy eater in the family, there are a number of techniques that may help change behaviour in a positive and gentle manner to have them munching up their greens in no time at all…- Create good habits: children respond well to set, structured meal times. This means they should occur at regular times each day and last for a consistent length of time. Create boundaries and manage your child’s expectations surrounding the meal time – discuss and outline what is expected of them regarding behaviour and eating
- Small tummies = small spaces: reduce snacks between meals and limit liquids before and during meal times to save precious tummy space for nutritious food
- Create a happy environment: set the table with help of your child, use special placemats or plates to help to create a sense of ritual. Share discussions of the day’s events at the table – both good and bad, and allow them to eat at their own pace
- Lead by example: children follow by example, so ideally parents should sit at the table and share the meal to teach good habits – fussy children often have parents that may not be as open to trying new foods, so it’s important for all the family to enjoy the food prepared
- Start young: expose young children to as many tastes and textures as possible. The WHO and Australian guidelines now advises that solids should be introduced between 4 and 6 months of age, or when your child shows readiness. Recent research seems to suggest that introduction of food from 4 – 6 months is a golden ‘window’ of time that may lead to reduced allergies, but it is best to seek assistance from a practitioner for individual cases, especially with a family history of allergies, asthma or eczema. Baby-led weaning may be an option for your family to help children be exposed to more structured adult foods to reduce likelihood of later fussiness
