Picky Eating
As parents, one of the greatest challenges is our children’s nutrition. Do they eat enough? Is their diet healthy? Do they eating too much junk food? Why would they not eat anything?
It is important to understand that picky eating is common among children, particularly between the ages of two and four. When we insist that our children eat vegetables and they refuse, a frustrating and stressful situation may occur both for us as parents and for our children. An understanding that picky eating is normal and generally disappears over time, can make mealtime calmer and even enjoyable. A relaxed approach to picky eating can help children open up and try a wider variety of food – today we call this "paced feeding".
At the end of the day, paced eating is a respectful approach that allows our children to choose their food from the selection served at the table, to listen and respond to their intuitions and their natural feelings of hunger and satiety.
Note
Note
If you are concerned about your child’s eating habits or think this may be more than just "picky eating", consult a pediatric and adolescent dietitian.
Dealing with picky eating on a daily basis
It is important to distinguish between picky eating at various ages – dealing with our toddler’s avoidance will be different than coping with that of our teens. In any case, it is important to understand that most of our children’s eating habits depend on us, the parents (no pressure) – we need to expose them to nourishing food consistently, and be a role model.
Did you know? It was found that during pregnancy, the flavors of the food eaten by the mother pass through the amniotic fluid to the fetus, allowing the fetus to get an "early taste" of foods that he or she will likely know with in the future. It is therefore recommended to occasionally eat "unusual" foods, new or different flavors during pregnancy.
How to deal with picky eating – tips based on age and stage of development:
First and foremost, it is important to remember that if we address a child’s picky eating with patience and understanding, the situation will likely improve. This requires a great deal of patience and faith but ultimately, we will see results. What should you do?
- First, remember that children’s sense of control during mealtimes is extremely important to their motivation to eat. It is therefore critical to respect their choices and desire about food they want to eat, out of the foods that are on the table. You decide what to put on the table and they get to choose what they want to eat and how much. Any attempt on our part to convince them or negotiate with them about food may result in a deterioration in the situation.
- Family meals are important quality time and an opportunity to introduce children to a wide variety of food on a regular basis. The very exposure to new or less liked foods is extremely important even if they choose not to eat or taste it.
- A relaxed, tolerant atmosphere during meals will help develop a positive attitude towards family meals, so that your children will enjoy sitting at the table during the next meal.
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1Infancy
During the period of breastfeeding, the food the mother eats affects the baby’s eating habits. If the mother eats diverse foods during this period, it can increase the baby’s exposure to different flavors through breastmilk. A child who is exposed to diverse flavors is less likely to reject them at a later stage.
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2Complementary foods (“tastings”)
Around the age of eighteen months, and when the child shows signs of readiness, you can begin offering supplementary foods. If we offer a variety of foods in the first year of life, with more flavors, textures and aromas, the children will more likely eat diverse nutritious food and be less afraid of trying new ones.
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3Toddlers
Around the age of eighteen months and two years, children can begin expressing disinterest in foods that they do not know, a phenomenon known as “neophobia”.
How should you encounter it? Do not panic. Go with their natural pace, maintain the order of the meals, and offer a variety of food that includes what they like eating alongside other foods that are less familiar or liked, and of course have shared meals. Try to avoid arguments around food. On the other hand, do not be tempted to offer unhealthy processed foods instead of the food that is served to the table.
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4Preschool and school
During this stage of development, children seek independence. Get them involved in the meal preparation and selection. This will encourage them to taste and eat. Involve them in preparing lunchboxes for preschool and preparing meals at home.
It may be nice to teach them where their food comes from and try growing something in a flowerpot or in the garden. Try to plant easy-to-grow vegetables that your children apparently would have otherwise refused to try.
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5Adolescence
Make sure to eat shared family meals at least two or three times a week. This increases the chance that teens will eat nourishing, healthy food. In addition, studies show that shared meals can help reinforce family bonds, openness and involvement.
Division of tasks and instructing teens to prepare healthy meals will help them develop cooking skills and will make them familiar with raw ingredients and products that are healthy and contain protein, whole grains, vegetables, fruit, and more.
When should you seek professional advice
- If you are anxious before every meal or worry that your child will refuse to eat.
- If you feel you dedicate tremendous efforts to get your child to eat.
- If you feel frustration during mealtime.
- If there is a consistent avoidance of eating diverse foods, or an aversion to certain textures, smells or certain temperatures at which the food is served.
- If there is a drop in the growth measures (weight percentile, length, head circumference) in babies and toddlers.
- If there is a sharp change in eating habits or a rapid weight gain or loss in adolescents.