Handling fussy eaters is no fun. Mealtime can become a battle. Then you find the unopened school lunchbox and are told that a certain someone has suddenly ‘gone off cheese’.
In most cases, fussy eating is a phase and creates more parental stress and anxiety than it should. To help encourage junior diners, here’s some expert advice from ace dietitian, Regina Rattigan.
1. Don’t panic
“Almost every child goes through a phase of fussy eating and they generally out-grow it,” says Regina. “My advice is not to worry as long as you know your child is eating well over the course of the week. There might be one bad day and some tantrums, but it’s best to look at the trend over a week or so. If the child’s weight is normal, and their growth, sleep and energy levels are normal, you wouldn’t tend to worry. If a GP or Public Health Nurse finds that a child was a little bit below normal weight or height, and the parent feels that’s due to fussy eating, a referral to a dietician might be recommended at that point.”
2. Keep mealtimes calm
“The biggest thing is not to let mealtime become a battleground,” Regina advises. “Aim to avoid tension. Keep things relaxed and calm. It really helps if the family can eat together around the table. Keep the distractions to a minimum – no TV or toys. Make meals an enjoyable family time. Children look up to the parents and will copy what they do, so make sure they see that you’re eating a good range of healthy foods.”
3. Make play dates dinner dates
“Bringing a friend around for a play date that also includes a meal around the table can be a good idea,” says Regina. “Children like to imitate others and if they see a friend trying something new, they’re more likely to do the same.
This can work well when a child starts school. Sometimes the child will decide they want the same kind of sandwiches as their friends, and they will actually start to eat foods they wouldn’t eat before that.”
4. Avoid a fuss
“Avoid force-feeding children – even at weaning stage. That creates a negative association with mealtime. If there is negative behaviour from the child, ignore it. If the child won’t eat something, take it away without commenting, but don’t offer an alternative. That’s the trap that some parents can fall into – making different meals for different children or allowing them to have a snack instead of the family dinner. Try to avoid that. If the child does eat their meal, praise them for it. If they won’t eat it, avoid making a fuss, but let them wait until the next snack time or meal time before you offer them something else to eat. Don’t worry, children won’t let themselves go hungry.”
5. Keep mealtimes short
“Spending an hour getting a child to eat a meal doesn’t really help matters. At that point, the child is tired and you’re stressed and it becomes a battle. Mealtimes for children shouldn’t be any longer than 20 or 30 minutes.
Make sure too that mealtimes are regular so that you’re eating around the same time every day. That lets the child know what to expect.”
6. Keep trying
“It can take up to 14 times before a child will even taste a new food,” Regina notes. “Keep encouraging the child to try something new, but don’t force them.”
7. No grazing
Regina recommends avoiding a situation where the child is grazing throughout the day. “If they’re just going to the fridge and eating whatever they want, that means they won’t have an appetite at mealtime. Keep a set schedule for meals and snacks and children will get used to eating at those times.”
8. Check fluid intake
“Sometimes a child could be having several glasses of juice and milk over the day,” Regina notes. “That can fill them up, meaning that they don’t have room for meals. If the child doesn’t seem to have an appetite for meals, you might need to check that they’re not filling up on liquids.”
9. Consider a multivitamin
“If your child’s diet is very limited and fussy eating continues longer than a month, it could be a good idea to get them a multivitamin with iron in it,” Regina recommends. “Check with your GP or pharmacist about what’s suitable for their age. If you’re still very concerned about the child’s diet, you might want to see the Public Health Nurse to check their weight and height.”
10. Gets the kids involved
“Children are more likely to try out a new food, or something they might not normally eat, if they’ve helped to prepare it,” says Regina. “Washing vegetables, cracking an egg or watching parents prepare dinner can really encourage a child to sit at the table and enjoy a meal.”
11. Pick a plate
“Younger children can respond well to being allowed to go to the shops with mum or dad and pick out their own plate and cutlery,” says Regina. “The novelty plates can make mealtime more interesting for younger kids.”
12. Watch portion size
“Make sure portions are the right size for a child,” Regina reminds us. “Often parents give portions that are too large and that can be overwhelming. Keep the amount of food on the plate appropriate to the child’s age.”
13. Keep foods separate
“Sometimes children prefer to see the different foods spaced out on the plate,” says Regina. “Kids can refuse a meal if everything is mashed up together and they don’t know what’s what.”
14. Make food fun
“Encourage younger children to feed themselves as soon as they’re able,’ advises Regina. “Even playing with food is fine, because that’s how young children learn. Cut up cheese into blocks and encourage the child to build a tower with it. Make funny faces with fruit and veg on a plate encourages children to taste things without even realising it and mealtime becomes more fun.”
15. Try a change of scene
Regina says that sometimes changing the setting of the meal can encourage fussy eaters: “Eat outside for a change if it’s a nice day. Have a picnic in the garden or a barbeque or a tea party in the playroom. That kind of change or novelty often encourages the child to try something new.”
Regina Rattigan, MINDI, is a Consultant Dietician with Nutritionwest. She is a member of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute.
