Fussy Eaters
Fussy Eaters:
For some families meal times can be one of the most stressful times of the day. As parents we all want our children to enjoy a well balanced diet and eat the meals we have lovingly prepared. However this is not the case for many families who find themselves pleading with their children to just have one bite. For young children between the ages of 2 and 3, refusing food they would normal consume, is often a phase as they start to develop independence. But it can feel like, for persistent fussy eaters who have a very limited diet and become distressed at meal times, their eating habits will never improve.
‘Safe Food':
These foods are usually beige in colour and considered ‘safe’, children can easily recognise them and they are reliable in taste and texture. Such foods include chips, chicken dippers, sausages, pasta, bread, crisps etc. In most cases children are happy to eat these types of ‘safe’ foods.
Complex meals are often avoided by fussy eaters at any cost, complex meals are made up of different ingredients and children may complain of ‘bits.’ Spaghetti Bolognese, Shepard’s pie and stews are the usual culprits for having ‘too many bits.’
Fussy Eaters enjoy predictability and are often sensitive to how ‘Safe food’ tastes, for example, they may notice a difference in brands and makes of their favourite meals and become distressed if they taste different. All these behaviours can be extremely worrying and frustrating for parents.
Before I share my top tips on fussy eating, it is important to establish whether your child is using food to control his/her environment or whether their eating habits are the result of sensitivity to taste and textures.
Children who are hungry will eat, therefore, it is important to monitor how many snacks and drinks (other than water) are being consumed before meal times. If your child is scared to try new food or anxious about texture, than please see my top tips below:
- Avoid pressuring or bribing children to try something new, this can reinforce their anxiety.
- Encourage children to help make and prepare meals without any pressure to eat or try it.
- Engage children to explore a range of sensory activities to help them overcome sensitivity to texture.
- Offer small portion sizes.
- Introduce new foods one at a time and praise achievements.
- Discuss food positively and talk about the benefits of healthy eating on the body.
- Encourage social experiences with peers, children will often follow suit and try new food with their friends.
- Make meals simple and appealing, you can find some great examples of child friendly recipes online.
It is important to seek advice and support from a health professional if your child is experiencing food anxiety or you are concerned about their diet.
If you would like to know more about ways to overcome fussy eating please head to our website www.fortheirfuture.co.uk and go to ‘For Parents' page to enquire about our parent consultancy service.
