Your child has an innate sense of how much food his body needs to grow and be healthy, and it’s up to him to decide what he’s going to eat. The best thing you can do is to provide a wide variety of healthy foods in a positive, relaxed environment so mealtimes will be enjoyable for everyone. Here are some specific tips on how to handle a picky eater:
• Provide a variety of good foods for your preschooler to eat at each meal. Keep in mind that it takes numerous exposures to a new food for a child to see it as familiar enough to try. So be patient. When you do offer a new food, simply place it on the dinner table with everything else, and don’t make a big deal about it. Don’t put it right on your child’s plate, which may seem threatening or cause him to rebel. Eventually, after he’s seen you eat the food a few times, he may feel more open to trying it himself.
• Serve child-size portions. For example, two slices of bread provides the daily grain requirements for a 2- or 3-year old, and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (just enough to barely cover two slices of bread) give a young child about half the recommended amount of daily protein.
• Don’t give your preschooler too many options at mealtime. If you say "It’s dinnertime. What do you want to eat?" your child will probably choose something familiar, and he’ll seem like a picky eater. However, if you say "Here’s dinner," he’ll have to choose from among the foods you’re offering. Of course, you won’t want to offer an entire meal of unfamiliar foods because your child simply won’t eat them. Instead, always offer a meal that includes at least one thing you know your child likes.
• When introducing new foods, don’t present them in large quantities. Give your child just a taste and let him ask for more. That way he’ll feel more in control and you won’t feel like you’re wasting food if he doesn’t eat it. When you can, give him a new food to try when you know he’s hungry — slices of mango when he has the afternoon munchies, for example.
• Keep in mind that some children’s palates are more sensitive than others’, and they simply won’t like the texture, color, or taste of some foods.
• Whenever possible, let your preschooler be involved in food decisions and preparations, including shopping and making meals and snacks. This will give him a sense of control over his diet. And he’ll be more likely to eat something that he’s chosen, or prepared, for himself. Make fun, healthful treats together — like yogurt-and-fruit banana splits or ants on a log (raisins placed on top of peanut butter-filled celery sticks).
• Look for ways to boost the nutritional value of the foods your preschooler enjoys. Put some tuna or ham on his grilled cheese, or meat or tofu in his spaghetti sauce, for example.
• Teach your child (without lecturing) about good nutrition. Hang a food chart in the kitchen and have him color in the requirements as he meets them each day.
• As your child’s world expands and he begins attending preschool, his taste in foods might broaden as well. It’s not uncommon for children to be more open to new foods when they’re away from home.
How can I get my child to eat a wider variety of foods?
It’s unrealistic to expect a preschooler to eat a wide range of foods. In the long run, the example you set by serving and enjoying all sorts of healthy foods — at home and on the go — is one of the best ways to help your child learn to eat well. But for now, try to remember that your child’s choice to eat only a few foods is just that — his choice, and it’s important to let him learn to make his own decisions about food.
"A child needs to be in control of what he eats," says Hudson. If you force your preschooler to eat a food he doesn’t like ("You’ll sit at the table until you finish your peas"), or more than he wants, you could be setting him up for problems later: Children who are never allowed to make food decisions for themselves (such as deciding when they’re full) are at a greater risk for developing eating disorders or becoming obese later in life.
How can I tell whether my child is really getting enough to eat if he’s not growing?
Don’t panic if it seems like your preschooler isn’t growing fast enough. Children don’t always grow at a steady pace, and there will be times when your child doesn’t seem to be growing at all. Keep in touch with your doctor if you’re concerned, but don’t convey your fears to your child. If you’re constantly hovering at mealtime, wheedling, cajoling, and counting calories, he’s likely to become even more resistant to eating. Also keep in mind that your child’s appetite will vary, depending on things like his activity level and whether or not he’s having a growth spurt.
Source: www.babycenter.com
