How can I help them trust & learn?
• Children are more likely to try new foods being eaten by those they trust. Frustratingly sometimes they will demand food from your plate, but refuse the same food that you served up onto their plate first. Place foods onto a sharing plate in the middle of the table and let them see you taking from there to encourage them to do the same.
• Let your child know that its OK to spit out a food taste that they don’t like. If you shout at or tell off a child for spitting out food they don’t like they will be reluctant to try new things again as they don’t have the spitting out option.
• Move the pressure away from meal times. Get them involved in food preparation, let them hold, smell and taste foods as you cook the meal, or bring foods into play let them in their own time.
What about when eating out?
Much as its nice for children to eat wholesome real food, and not just chicken nuggets and chips it’s always good to have some fall-back options when eating out. If the pasta at the pub is a different shape or the carrots are cut the wrong way you don’t want to end up with public meltdowns. Some things are fairly good constants, chicken nuggets are usually all roughly the same colour and fries are fries. It’s ok to give yourself a quiet life once in a while when you are eating out.
I’m still worried that my child is overly fussy…
You can seek further advice and reassurance from your health visitor at the local drop in clinics. Some children who show extreme food refusal and limited diets may have other developmental difficulties or unusual behaviours. If you are concerned about this then your health visitor or GP can offer further support.
Sarah Steadman is a Paediatric Registrar in her 6th Year of training
By Sarah Steadman, Paediatrician