How to handle picky eaters

Is your child a picky eater? Do you have mealtime battles with your toddler? You are not alone. It's perfectly normal in toddler years. Their appetite tends to slow down as they begin to develop other food preferences. 

As parents we worry about our child's nutrition, what they eat and don't eat. My son is also a picky eater, he has a variety of food preferences that changes from time to time. The other day, he couln't get enough of pears. But today, his favorite fruit is apple. 

Here are some tips that might help you: 

Do not force your child to eat

I know this can be frustrating to us moms, especially when we want to stick to our daily routine. But, it is important also for us to respect our child's appetite. If they are not hungry, do not force them to eat. Don't stress yourself if they are not eating on time. Eventually, they will feel hungry and ask you for food. 

Tip: Talk to your child and politely ask them if they are already hungry. 

Hack: Serve smaller portions of food so the plate won't look everwhelming to them. This will make them crave for more food. 

Have a "no, thank you" plate

Serving new food to toddlers are risky, I know! I am struggling with this until now. They tend to touch and smell them. Toddlers often experiment foods that are new to them, they take some in their mouth then take it out again. They need a repetitive exposure of foods in order for them to familiarize with it. 

Tip: A "no, thank you" plate. This aims to remove pressure on a child to eat certain foods. 

Hack: Serve new foods along with their favorites. Talk about new foods in color, shapes or anything that would sound good and interesting to them

Minimize distractions

Turn off TV or remove gadgets when it's mealtime. So your child's attention will be on food instead of TV shows. 

Tip: Have a no-gadgets-allowed rule every mealtime

Make mealtime fun and be creative

Make fun with food, serve their food in shapes and different colors. This will make it look appetizing to them. Eat with them too. This might encourage them to eat healthy foods if they see you eating it too. 

Tip: Think of green, red and yellow foods. These are the colors that catches toddler's attention

Hack: Turn fruits into a shape of an animal or flower. (I suggest pinterest app for ideas) 

Be patient with your child

Remember, your child's eating habit won't change immediately. Keep on encouraging them to healthy eating. One habit at a time. Let's be patient with them. It is important to support them and be with them through this process. 

Here is our meal plan you can use as reference: 

Day 1

Breakfast: Toast Bread with Cheese, Milk or Juice

Lunch: Rice, Scrambled Egg, Sliced Apple

Snack: Yakult, Bread Pan

Dinner: Rice, Fish, Banana

Day 2

Breakfast: Koko crunch with Fresh milk

Lunch: Mashed Potato, Ham, Brocolli

Snack: Juice and Sandwich

Dinner: Rice, Sinigang na baboy, Slice of watermelon

Day 3

Breakfast: Pandesal with egg mayo and juice

Lunch: Rice, Longganisa, Banana

Snack: Pancake and Juice

Dinner: Rice, Fish, Roasted Potato

Day 4

Breakfast: White bread with peanut butter

Lunch: Rice, Embutido, Sliced Apple

Snack: Crackers and Milk

Dinner: Rice, Tinola, Potatoes

Day 5

Breakfast: Cornflake cereal and milk

Lunch: Rice, Tuna egg, Sliced Pear

Snack: Cookies and Yakult

Dinner: Rice, Brocolli, Fish

Moms and Dads, do not forgot to reward your kids with their favorite snack or food sometimes 😉

Important note: If you think being a picky eater is compromising your child's health, consult your pediatrician.