How to Get a Toddler to Eat
Learn and understand you child's feelings., Expose your child to different food., Make food more attractive and interesting., Prompt your child to exercise and be active., Limit your child's fluid intake right before mealtimes., Create a consistent...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn and understand you child's feelings.
Instead of thinking to yourself, “For what possible reason could my child be refusing to eat tonight? I cooked the best meal tonight”, try putting yourself in their shoes.
Your child may be struggling with a fear of food.
Some toddlers, usually around the age of two, are caught in this dilemma.
It is called food neophobia, which is the fear of trying new food.
This is normal and most toddlers experience this at some point.
Sometimes, it takes around 10-15 times before your child becomes familiar with a certain food.
Be patient enough to understand that their taste buds will adjust to it in time. -
Step 2: Expose your child to different food.
Let your child become familiar with what you want him to eat by broadening his culinary horizons.
Allowing him to try various types of food will let him choose the foods he likes, and give you more insight as to his tastes.
Most parents make the mistake of introducing new foods too fast and if the toddler pushes the food away, they give up easily.
When introducing new foods to a toddler, you should be ready to reintroduce it at least a minimum of 10 times.
You have to keep at it, because toddlers have the resilience to refuse food they don’t want. , Think of ways to make food more enjoyable, to allow your child to have fun trying new things.
Try decorating the food in a way that your child will enjoy.
You can make food more colorful, but still keep it healthy.
For example, try adding toppings like melted cheese, tomato sauce, or applesauce.
Cut pancakes, pizzas, and sandwiches into interesting shapes and patterns.
You can use a cookie cutter for a more precise cut.
Try planting vegetable in your garden and let your child be involved in growing the vegetables.
He might be more interested to eat them after taking care of these veggies. , In order to work up an appetite, your child needs to be exercising and using up energy throughout the day.
Make sure your child is involved in a daily exercise routine.
Play sports with your child during the day.
Try swimming classes or peewee football.
However, keep in mind that you shouldn't let your child become too tired to eat. , Do not give your child large drinks right before eating, to avoid loss of appetite.
If your child is thirsty, give him water.
Remember, a child who drinks a lot of milk throughout the day may be less hungry than a child who is limited to water. , Decide on how many times you plan to feed your toddler throughout the day.
Ideally, you can have three main meals and two snacks in between them.
Give your child a heads-up 10-15 minutes before mealtime.
This works well as your child will begin to anticipate mealtime. , Let him eat his fill during that span of time.
If he is not done eating after 30 minutes, take away his food and wait for the next scheduled mealtime.
In between, you can give your child a healthy snack if they are very hungry.
However, do not offer snacks directly before or after a schedule mealtime, as this will break down the schedule you have set up.
Do not spend too much time pressing your child to eat.
This will only make him anxious and frightened. , Getting your child involved in food preparation is a great way to have them feel more connected to their food.
Your child could do basic food handling, like mixing ingredients or spreading fruit jam on crackers.
He also could participate by helping you do the plating, which could be appealing to him.
These simple tasks will encourage your child to eat their own creations. , Bring your child with you as you shop for the ingredients that you need to cook.
This way he will be able to be more familiarized with the food that you are preparing.
While in the supermarket, give him a little background about the food and its nutrients.
Make a list of the food that he has eaten during the past week.
You can try making a new menu, which should include the four main food groups (starchy foods, protein, dairy products, fruits and vegetables).
Do not include soda and junk food on your grocery list, because these products can have a very detrimental effect on your child's health.
Take note of your child’s allergies and make sure that you do not include these ingredients in your menu.
Be aware of dangerous foods that might cause poisoning or choking, like raw or partially cooked eggs, raw carrots, whole nuts, popcorn, tea and coffee, or fish that might contain mercury. , Strong-willed kids as young as 2 or 3 know when and how to make parents cave in.
They will refuse and refuse until you give in to their whims.
However, giving in is a surefire way for them to get what they want.
Often, your child is refusing to eat not because they don’t want to, but because there is another food more enticing to them than what you have prepared.
If your toddler adamantly refuses to eat his meal, you can tell him he has an alternative; give two healthy choices only and make him prepare his alternative meal.
This way he realizes that there’s “work” involved in making his meal and it’s not a “fast food” thing where he gets to demand what he wants from you and you immediately obey.
Making him prepare his alternative food each time he refuses to eat teaches your toddler responsibility. , Reading books about food could encourage your toddler to eat.
Books like The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food by Stan and Jan Berenstain, and Gregory the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat are some toddler books that your little one will enjoy reading with you.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is another popular favorite where the caterpillar eats a variety of foods while getting ready to become a butterfly.
It sets a good precedent, in that it teaches your child that in order to grow healthy and beautiful, eating nutritious food is a must. -
Step 3: Make food more attractive and interesting.
-
Step 4: Prompt your child to exercise and be active.
-
Step 5: Limit your child's fluid intake right before mealtimes.
-
Step 6: Create a consistent schedule for your child’s meals.
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Step 7: Limit your child’s mealtime to 30 minutes to enforce the schedule.
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Step 8: Prepare food with your child.
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Step 9: Make shopping lists and shop with your child.
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Step 10: Stick to one alternative food to defuse a power struggle.
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Step 11: Read books to encourage your toddler to eat.
Detailed Guide
Instead of thinking to yourself, “For what possible reason could my child be refusing to eat tonight? I cooked the best meal tonight”, try putting yourself in their shoes.
Your child may be struggling with a fear of food.
Some toddlers, usually around the age of two, are caught in this dilemma.
It is called food neophobia, which is the fear of trying new food.
This is normal and most toddlers experience this at some point.
Sometimes, it takes around 10-15 times before your child becomes familiar with a certain food.
Be patient enough to understand that their taste buds will adjust to it in time.
Let your child become familiar with what you want him to eat by broadening his culinary horizons.
Allowing him to try various types of food will let him choose the foods he likes, and give you more insight as to his tastes.
Most parents make the mistake of introducing new foods too fast and if the toddler pushes the food away, they give up easily.
When introducing new foods to a toddler, you should be ready to reintroduce it at least a minimum of 10 times.
You have to keep at it, because toddlers have the resilience to refuse food they don’t want. , Think of ways to make food more enjoyable, to allow your child to have fun trying new things.
Try decorating the food in a way that your child will enjoy.
You can make food more colorful, but still keep it healthy.
For example, try adding toppings like melted cheese, tomato sauce, or applesauce.
Cut pancakes, pizzas, and sandwiches into interesting shapes and patterns.
You can use a cookie cutter for a more precise cut.
Try planting vegetable in your garden and let your child be involved in growing the vegetables.
He might be more interested to eat them after taking care of these veggies. , In order to work up an appetite, your child needs to be exercising and using up energy throughout the day.
Make sure your child is involved in a daily exercise routine.
Play sports with your child during the day.
Try swimming classes or peewee football.
However, keep in mind that you shouldn't let your child become too tired to eat. , Do not give your child large drinks right before eating, to avoid loss of appetite.
If your child is thirsty, give him water.
Remember, a child who drinks a lot of milk throughout the day may be less hungry than a child who is limited to water. , Decide on how many times you plan to feed your toddler throughout the day.
Ideally, you can have three main meals and two snacks in between them.
Give your child a heads-up 10-15 minutes before mealtime.
This works well as your child will begin to anticipate mealtime. , Let him eat his fill during that span of time.
If he is not done eating after 30 minutes, take away his food and wait for the next scheduled mealtime.
In between, you can give your child a healthy snack if they are very hungry.
However, do not offer snacks directly before or after a schedule mealtime, as this will break down the schedule you have set up.
Do not spend too much time pressing your child to eat.
This will only make him anxious and frightened. , Getting your child involved in food preparation is a great way to have them feel more connected to their food.
Your child could do basic food handling, like mixing ingredients or spreading fruit jam on crackers.
He also could participate by helping you do the plating, which could be appealing to him.
These simple tasks will encourage your child to eat their own creations. , Bring your child with you as you shop for the ingredients that you need to cook.
This way he will be able to be more familiarized with the food that you are preparing.
While in the supermarket, give him a little background about the food and its nutrients.
Make a list of the food that he has eaten during the past week.
You can try making a new menu, which should include the four main food groups (starchy foods, protein, dairy products, fruits and vegetables).
Do not include soda and junk food on your grocery list, because these products can have a very detrimental effect on your child's health.
Take note of your child’s allergies and make sure that you do not include these ingredients in your menu.
Be aware of dangerous foods that might cause poisoning or choking, like raw or partially cooked eggs, raw carrots, whole nuts, popcorn, tea and coffee, or fish that might contain mercury. , Strong-willed kids as young as 2 or 3 know when and how to make parents cave in.
They will refuse and refuse until you give in to their whims.
However, giving in is a surefire way for them to get what they want.
Often, your child is refusing to eat not because they don’t want to, but because there is another food more enticing to them than what you have prepared.
If your toddler adamantly refuses to eat his meal, you can tell him he has an alternative; give two healthy choices only and make him prepare his alternative meal.
This way he realizes that there’s “work” involved in making his meal and it’s not a “fast food” thing where he gets to demand what he wants from you and you immediately obey.
Making him prepare his alternative food each time he refuses to eat teaches your toddler responsibility. , Reading books about food could encourage your toddler to eat.
Books like The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food by Stan and Jan Berenstain, and Gregory the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat are some toddler books that your little one will enjoy reading with you.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is another popular favorite where the caterpillar eats a variety of foods while getting ready to become a butterfly.
It sets a good precedent, in that it teaches your child that in order to grow healthy and beautiful, eating nutritious food is a must.
About the Author
Thomas Ferguson
A passionate writer with expertise in lifestyle topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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