At some point or the other, most parents struggle with their child refusing most foods. It is very common for your child to be picky about the food they want to eat. From an aversion to green vegetables to a love for milk, your child may be highly discriminating when it comes to what they will eat. This usually begins in the toddler years. During infancy, most children are adventurous and will try new things. The picky eating seems to slowly creep in around the time they are toddlers. Parents often visit the clinic saying, “He used to eat all vegetables and fruit and now does not eat anything.” Buy Now | Our best subscription plan now has a special price The first thing to remember is to never give in to this. Rather, you should continue to offer a wide range of foods. For most children, picky eating does not go away on its own unless parents work at it. Research shows it can take up to 20 tries of a particular food for a child to accept it. Do not worry about what your child eats in a day or if they do not eat everything during mealtimes. It is more helpful to think about what they eat throughout the week. As long as your child is active and gaining weight adequately, then they are getting enough to eat. If your child is eating some food from the four main food groups, then there is no cause for concern. The four food groups to keep in mind while preparing meals for your child are: - fruit and vegetables - breads, rice, pasta or some form of carbohydrates - dairy - beans, pulses, eggs, fish, meat or other proteins Gradually introduce other foods and keep going back to the foods he did not like before. Children’s tastes change constantly and sometimes they will love things they did not like earlier a month or so later. Tips to get picky eaters to eat * Give your child the same food as the rest of the family, with no added salt * The best way to get your child to enjoy and learn to eat new foods is to copy you. So, as often as you can, try to eat with them * Serve smaller portions and praise them when they finish the food on the plate. Big portions of the food that they don’t like will scare them * Never force them to eat the food that you have served. Try to stay calm and remove the plate. I know it can be very frustrating after you have spent time making it * Offer something else a little later * Try not to wait till they are very hungry or very tired to feed them * Your child may be a slow eater, so try and be patient * Don’t offer them too many snacks, two healthy snacks in a day is plenty * Never use food as a reward. This will reinforce the idea that sweets are nice and vegetables are not. You can reward them by an extra story at bedtime or some extra time in the park with you * Meal times should be enjoyable so talk about other things when they are eating * Children usually eat when they see other children eating, so if you have friends with children who are the same age, invite them over for a meal * Sometimes, a child will eat when there is a favourite aunt or grandparent around. So this can be encouraged * Present the food in a fun away, like cutting vegetables in different shapes, or you can decide to have a picnic in the balcony * Try to serve the food at the same time every day. A toddler should be offered three meals and two snacks. Be mindful about the snacks you offer — apple slices over cookies * Older children can be involved in meal planning. You can ask your child to pick out the fruit and vegetables when you go to the supermarket. You can get them to lay the table * Limit distractions like smartphones and television while eating * From desserts to candy, it is not easy for parents to say no to sugar laden treats. Establishing healthy guidelines including an occasional treat can help your child learn not to over-indulge and how to set boundaries. When anything is restricted both adults and kids will crave for it. In the end, the most important thing a parent can do with a picky eater is to be consistent and not give up. (Dr Saroja Balan is consultant neonatologist and paediatrician at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. Her column appears every fortnight) For all the latest Parenting News, download Indian Express App.
