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Does your child eat only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?
Or does he/she drink only juices? If your child is a challenging eater then we have some good news for you! Your child is growing into a special little person, and picky tastes will grow to. I have a special little person myself, he is two years old and he thinks he is a hamster! He will take a bite of his food and store it for later. So I know how you feel, I have made up a chart of problems and hopefully some solutions to help you in your time of need.
THE “PLAY” BOY
PROBLEM:Your child loves to play with his food, but won’t eat it.
SOLUTION:At the end of each meal clear the table without
comment. Gently refuse snacks until the next meal.
BIG EYES
PROBLEM:Your child always leaves food on his/her plate.
SOLUTION:Try offering smaller servings. Then let him/her take seconds on their own. Don’t worry if a little is left over and never force your child to clean their plate.
DOCTOR NO
PROBLEM:No matter what you give your child, he wants something else.
SOLUTION:Don’t make a second meal for your child, but don’t force your child to eat what he doesn’t want. Instead offer a bowl of soup, a sandwich of some kind or a hamburger. Set limits if your child refuses a meal, have him wait until the next meal to eat.
I’M NOT HUNGRY
PROBLEM:Your child’s hungry all day, but won’t eat dinner.
SOLUTION:Restrict heavy snacks in the afternoon. Offer vegetables, fruits and crackers. Some children are too tired to eat after playing hard all day. If you think this is the problem, consider setting an earlier dinner time.
JUNK FOOD JUNKIE
PROBLEM:Your child eats only candy, chips, cookies, and all the other sweets out there.
SOLUTION:Offer healthy alternatives, such as raisins, oatmeal cookies, fruits and dried fruits.
THE JUICE ADDICT
PROBLEM:Your child drinks only juice and nothing else.
SOLUTION:For a balanced diet, your child needs to drink other beverages. Try cutting back on juice, dilute with water by mixing equal amounts of each. Offer milk and lots of water.
Here is a recipe that might be helpful in your quest for a not so picky eater provided by The Dairy Council of Wisconsin.
YOGURT PARFAIT
Utensils:
2 plastic cups or
2, 8 ounce glasses
spoons
Ingredients:
1 8 ounce container of vanilla or lemon-flavored
yogurt
Fruit (banana slices, apple chunks, raisins,
peach slices, fruit cocktail)
Any unsweentened dry cereal
Directions:
1. Put 1/4 cup yogurt into each cup or glass.
2. Put 1/4 cup fruit over the yogurt.
3. Sprinkle a spoonful of dry cereal over the
fruit.
4. Add another 1/4 cup yogurt over the cereal.
5. Add another 1/4 fruit over the yogurt.
6. Sprinkle a spoonful of cereal on top.
7. Dig In!
Some creative combos can go along way with some children so here are a few ideas:
Cheese and fruit (apple wedges and Colby cheese).
Cheese and crackers (Triscuits and American cheese).
Applewiches (Core and slice apples in rings then make
sandwiches using cheese slices, meat slices, or peanut butter).
Meat-Cheese stacks (Alternate 4-6 layers of meat and cheese slices then cut into cubes).
Remember try to relax and enjoy your own meal, be patient with a slow or messy eater. Offer a variety of foods, try to give only one to two tablespoons and if your child wants they can always ask for more. Always give praise and encourage your child.
No one food is needed for good health. Keep smiling and good luck!
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