Lately, I have had more than a few moms asking for help with their "Picky Eater".
Why are children picky eaters? Why do some children who were previously wonderful eaters now suddenly turn up their nose at everything and anything you put in front of them? These so called "Picky Eaters" are usually between the ages of 18 months and 5 years old. As we moms all know, these are the fun filled years in which our darling angels are continuously exploring their autonomy, testing boundaries, and trying to control their little worlds. In fact, the only things that a toddler can actually control (which they often figure out faster than we do) is what goes in and what comes out.
Here are few practical tips to help with the picky eating phase - but please find solace in the fact that no toddler has EVER starved themselves to death. This too shall pass!
* Remember that this is a power issue, not a food issue. The more you engage in the struggle the bigger the fight becomes.
* Make the decision to eat about them, NOT about you. Your child shouldn't eat because it will "Make mommy so happy!" or "Daddy will be so proud!" They should know that their decision to eat is necessary because it is good for their body and important for their health.
* Cook only 1 meal. You are not running a short order restaurant. Offer a variety of choices in that meal - a protein, a vegetable or fruit, a starch, etc. Serve a variety of meals throughout the week (not just butter noodles or chicken nuggets every night). Even if a certain food is passed over once or twice....keep offering it.
* Do not engage in bartering, bargaining, or bribing when it comes to food and eating.
* DO NOT OVER HYDRATE YOUR CHILD!!! This is a big one. Your toddler only needs half their weight in fluids per day. If you fill them up on milk and juice throughout the day, they won't be hungry for actual food. (See the information and links to facts about juice below)
* Your child should stay seated for their meals for a certain (reasonable) period of time - either until the family as a whole is done or a predetermined time. Even if they don't eat anything, they should stay at the table until they are properly excused. If they don't eat anything for their dinner, offer a glass of milk before bed to get them through the night.
* Find creative and fun ways to serve your little one. Make eating into a game or find funny ways to make their food look like animals, cars, or other entertaining objects.
* If you are worried about your toddler not receiving the nutrition they need during this period, be sure they take a multivitamin and possibly a supplement. I personally like the Animal Parade brand. They have a green veggie supplement that actually tastes good!
JUICE FACTS:
"The high sugar content of fruit juices is often not realized—many fruit juices have a higher sugar (fructose) content than sweetened soft drinks; e.g., typical grape juice has 50% more sugar than Coca Cola." Wikipedia
Check out these links for more interesting information on juice:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=24
http://www.hookedonjuice.com/
