Food for thought to deal with fusspots
ARGUMENTS can be a regular part of mealtimes for families with tricky eaters. But fussy eating can have severe consequences, with one 17year-old in the UK even going deaf and blind after refusing to eat anything but hot chips and crisps. Here are tips to get fussy eaters to try more food, according to the UK’S NHS:
The best way for children to learn to eat and enjoy new foods is to copy you — try to eat with them as often as you can. Take care to express positive emotions, verbally and non-verbally.
Changing how you serve a food may make it more appealing. For example, your child might refuse cooked carrots but enjoy raw grated carrot. Food writer Ciara Attwell says: “Mealtimes can be a little dull for children so try injecting a bit of fun into them and introduce as much colour as you can in the food and the crockery.” Don’t give your child too many snacks between meals — two healthy snacks a day is plenty.
Don’t force them: If your child rejects the food, don’t force them to eat it — just take the food away without saying anything. Try the food again another time.
Avoid using food as a reward: It’s best not to use food as a reward as your child may start to think of sweets as nice and vegetables as nasty. Instead, reward them with a trip to the park or promise to play a game with them.
Ask an adult that your child likes and looks up to to eat with you. Sometimes a child will eat for someone else, such as a grandparent, without any fuss.
Give small portions and praise your child for eating, even if they only eat a little.
Don’t leave meals until your child is too hungry or tired to eat.