Toddler Eating - a few things to try for picky eaters

My daughter has always had a passion for food (not surprised, after all she is my kin!)  But, as with all children, nothing ever stays the same for too long - that would just be too easy!  We have gone through some rough patches at meal time. Part of this, I believe, has much to do with the control that babies and toddlers crave. As she approached 1.5 years old, her bravery to eat whatever I put in front of her subsided.  I was challenged to get her to continue to eat healthy food, without the battle. 


After careful observation of her eating habits, I realized that a lot of it was like a game.  Was eating fun? Well for most of us, we have been taught by our parents that meal time is a peaceful, civilized event.  So of course toddlers don't see eating as "fun!"  From that point on, I tried to make meal time a little more interesting, yet civilized.(because YES part of the above is true that good table manners are important to teach early on.)  Here are a few things I found, based on my experience:



Utensils: Offering spoon and fork was important, even if it started out with a 5% catch rate, and ended in hands to mouth. The idea of eating like Mom and Dad was pretty dang cool and soon what was on the fork became less important. Start this early! You will be amazed how fast even a 9 month old will learn to grasp and eat.

Cup: My friend Keren taught her son at a year old to drink with an open cup. While over to dinner, I was baffled by her sons dexterity, while watching my daughter fumble with her spill-proof sippy. This was a reminder that the sooner you expose your child to new things, the sooner they will learn them.  Yes, in the beginning it was a little messier than usual, but so what? Start with water if that helps!

Getting Excited: Talking and having your child help you or watch you prepare their food builds excitement.  It doesn't always guarantee they will eat it, but it helps them understand where food comes from and exercise patience while waiting for their meal.  The other day Laura scarfed down 5 broccoli nuggets (Dr Praegers) without hesitation, simply because I showed them to her and pointed out that they were shaped like dinosaurs.  Kids like food that is in the shape of anything (even if it just appears that way)  Maybe your nuggets look like basketballs, or your broccoli looks like trees? Go with it!

Dips: I am not sure how many parents have unleashed the power of the DIP.  The chance that my daughter will eat anything goes up by 75% if there is some sort of dip involved.  The act of dipping food into something else takes us back to that "fun" thing.  In our family we joke that ketchup is a drug for kids - that sugary delicious red stuff.  Laura would eat ketchup on everything, if I let her.  But knowing this, I have a standard list of dip alternatives I serve with foods when the "no eat" risk is high (and I am not saying you should always make special circumstances at every meal). 


Try these:

Hummus

Yogurt

BBQ Sauce (good ketchup alternative)

Sour cream

Guacamole (or just plain mashed avocados)

Mild Salsa

Cottage Cheese

Just because your toddler won't eat something the first time, doesn't mean you shouldn't continue to give it to him or her to try. The more flavors and tastes that toddlers experience, the better.  Some days my toddler doesn't want anything to do with noodles, other days she will eat the whole bowl in under 3 minutes. Don't give up! Variety is key.  Also, make sure you limit snacks before meal-time. It seems like a no-brainer, but even I fall victim when I am trying to keep her busy during dinner prep.  Dinner time = meltdown time, I know! I recently started letting Laura stand on a short stool in the kitchen so she could watch me prepare food (and keep busy).  She loves it. You can also try a Learning Tower, a little more pricey but also a great tool for the older ones!

Do you have any tips, tricks or stories for baby and toddler eating?

Please leave a comment! Happy Eating!