Dealing with fussy eaters
There’s nothing more frustrating as a parent, friend, grandparent, educator or teacher, than serving up a nutrient-dense meal to children and getting the “I don’t like that", “no, thank you” or even more irritating… “I won’t try it” at mealtimes! When this happens, it’s easy to feel completely deflated and defeated, but here’s the thing -up to 50% of all children are classified as fussy eaters! You’re not alone. The good news is that there’s some practical tips and strategies for dealing with fussy eaters.
Here’s my top 5 strategies for dealing with fussy eaters…
Repetition
Research shows that most children need to be exposed to a new food 10-15 times before they’ll try it. You can offer it sauce/condiment like hummus or yoghurt, for dipping or alongside a ‘safe’ food. The first step is to put it on the table/on their plate (even if they refuse it)!
Remember that 85% of children's taste preferences is due to the foods they are exposed to early on in their life, so repetition and exposure is key.
Creating fun and choices at meal times
Offering fruit platters and vegetable platters encourages children to make small choices at mealtimes, which gives them control over what they’re eating. You can also make mealtimes fun (and not focussing on foods or encouraging them to “just take one bite”). It’s better to offer topics like sport, movies, etc.
This is where using platters, tongs and individual muffin cups encourages a sense of choice, independence and also fun at mealtimes!
Messy play
Mealtimes should be a sensory experience; let children smell, taste and touch their food. When children are given the opportunity to play with their food they are often less fussy. For children six months of age offer them some type of finger food (at each meal).
Opens up a development opportunity for hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Also enables self feeding skills and difference textures and tastes
Offer ‘safe’ food and ‘new’ food
‘Safe’ food is food that is familiar and eaten. ‘New’ foods are foods they dislike or haven’t tasted. It’s best to always offer 1-2 ‘safe’ foods and 1-2 ‘new’ foods at each meal.
It’s best to offer ‘new’ foods in small amounts, and in different ways. For example if a child only eats cheese sandwiches at lunch you can offer them a cheese sandwich, alongside 3 very small varieties of carrots - a carrot stick, a tablespoon of grated carrot and a few sliced carrots.
Food education
Help children to understand the connection with what they eat and how some foods can support energy and strength, and help them run faster and concentrate longer, while other foods don’t. Food education begins with nature; herb garden, veggie patch, composting and animals, like chooks.