The early childhood years are spent in rapid and astonishing growth -- which is a wonder, considering that toddlers are among the pickiest eaters ever to grace a dinner table. When your child won't eat, it can be nerve-wracking, leaving you feeling helpless and wondering if he's getting adequate nutrition. This article provides keys to understanding the problem, and solutions to please the most demanding culinary critic of all: your toddler.
You’ve worked hard to prepare a healthy, well-balanced meal for your family, but when you offer it to your toddler he just turns up his finicky little nose. Most of the food ends up strewn on the high chair tray or tabletop and the floor (except for the bits of cooked carrot mashed into his hair). It makes mealtimes frustrating, and you worry that he’s not getting the nutrition that he needs. If it’s not a hot dog or macaroni, he won’t touch it – and you’re at the end of your rope. So how do you make sure that your child is getting all the good stuff he requires?
First, understand why toddlers pick at food.
Toddlers have just come out of a major growth spurt. After their first year, the rate of growth slows (even though it seems they’re still growing like weeds). So logically, their little bodies don’t require quite as much food. Combine this with a short attention span – to a two year old who’s constantly moving, sitting through dinner probably seems like an eternity – and you’ve got a recipe for a picky eater. The most important thing to remember is that it’s completely normal, and it’s not your fault. Your child’s refusal to eat doesn’t mean he’s snubbing your culinary skills, and it certainly doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. His eating habits are erratic at best, so instead of aiming for a nutritionally balanced day, aim for a nutritionally balanced week. He may eat well one day and ingest virtually nothing the next, or binge on one certain category of food, such as fruits. It’s very hard to predict from day to day what your child will want. That’s just the way toddlers are, and until they grow out of it, we need to adjust accordingly.
It’s all in the presentation.
Just as we adults tend to gravitate toward visually pleasing foods, so do kids. Instead of adding a parsley garnish, however, get more whimsical with your toddler’s food. Arrange a variety of foods on a plate to form some sort of picture: a flower made of hard-boiled egg slices, for example, with half a cherry tomato in the center and a celery-stick stem. You can even throw in a couple of cottage cheese clouds! You don’t have to be an artist, by any means … just use your imagination. Kids really go for bright colors and fanciful designs and will be more apt to eat things that are creatively presented. Whole-wheat pancakes are great canvases on which to make berry faces; you can even let your child make his own food “picture” and then eat the results.