As with pretty much every issue that people comes to see me for during a one-on-one appointment encouraging fussy kids to eat is not necessarily a straightforward thing!
Parents often present to me with their children virtually tearing their hair out at just how they can get their children to eat. I immediately look for any underlying factors or drivers, are they experiencing digestive discomfort when they eat and therefore avoiding it? When did the food aversion or fussiness start? Has it been since they started solids or a more recent occurrence? Is there any history of bowel infections, antibiotic use or obsession with only a few foods (normally yoghurt, fruit and processed carbs)? I also check that the child has been taken to the GP to be checked over and if necessary a referral given to an Occuaptional Therapist who can assess for issues such as sensory issues around food.
As you can see, treating and resolving food fussiness is not a simple issue and always warrants further investigations and questioning. I also usually often with supplement with a top quality practitioner grade vitamin, mineral and fish oil supplement while the food is being increased as a “nutritional insurance” against deficiencies (try and avoid supermarket vitamin gummies as these are usually loaded with sugar and gluten!)
So, I want to share with you my top tried and tested ways to try to get fussy little eaters to eat more once we have started to address the drivers (and believe me I know this from both clinical and practical experience as my eldest child was possibly the fussiest eater I have ever met!)
- Start to eat all your meals and snacks with your child and make eating a positive, fun, social experience that they are involved in
- Get your child involved in the process of choosing food and eating it , from growing vegies, to choosing them at the farmers markets, to cooking, laying the table and serving food
- Get out and about for picnics, allow your child to choose where you are going, what to pack in the bag to take, allow them to choose what food to take (within your parameters) i.e. would you like to take the cold chicken legs or the egg fritatta for lunch today?
- Get social with food, invite over other children that are good eaters so that your child is exposed to children that eat happily and enjoy their food
- Set your boundaries, it will not be harmful for your child to go to bed hungry on the odd night that they refuse to eat anything other than yoghurt, try and avoid giving her fruit or yoghurt of she does not eat anything else, or rewarding eating with their favourites at the end to bribe them to eat.
- Have reaslistic expectations, they may need to see a food on their plate 10-15 times (or more!) before even trying it and then trying it may be just licking it, if she even licks food give them tonnes of praise.
- Keep things happy, light and try not to get angry even though it can be super frustrating for you when they do not eat what you have made.
- Maximise the nutritional content of what they are eating, make your own chicken broth and add to any soups, rice, pasta, sauces, pies (see page 17 of my Kids Recipe book for instructions on making broth)For smoothies and bliss balls, head to the health food shop and stock up on nuts such as almond, pecan, walnut; seeds such as flaxseed, sunflower, pumpkin, hemp and chia and grind and add in. Also add dashes of flaxseed oil/coconut oil/coconut milk/avocado/coconut water to maximise nutrients. See my Kids Recipe book for recipes to try 🙂
And remember it will get better (I promise!)
In health,
Victoria xoxoxo
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