How to Feed a Finicky Toddler

Some toddlers are so reluctant to eat that they seem to live on air. Even a finicky child can still get adequate nutrition fairly easily, though.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Healthful Foods
• Healthy Foods
• Scales
• Blenders
• Measuring Spoons

1. Don't worry if your child's weight gain slows or even stops. Many children stop gaining weight for a short period around the time they hit toddlerhood; that's because their intense activity level causes them to burn off lots of extra calories.

2. Maintain a positive and matter-of-fact attitude about food. Don't turn it into an emotional issue. Often, a child may resist eating even more if he figures out that he has pushed one of your hot buttons.

3. Don't take food too seriously. Playing with food is a natural part of a toddler's development and is not likely to become a behavior problem.

4. Make sure you are offering your child foods from all the necessary food groups every day; this will help him maintain a balance of nutrients as he grows.

5. Offer your child choices, but don't overwhelm him with them. Two or three options are easier to deal with than five or six.

6. Try to reduce or remove distractions at mealtimes. This will teach your child that mealtimes are for focusing on food and family, not on TV, toys or other activities.

7. Consider presenting food in imaginative ways. For example, you could use cookie cutters to turn toast, a sandwich or French toast into fun shapes. This may encourage your toddler to eat more.

8. Follow your child's cues as much as possible while still providing a balanced mix of healthy foods. If he shows a preference for mashed foods, for example, you may get him to eat more than just bananas and potatoes by mashing other foods you offer him.

9. Offer small servings - about 1 tablespoon of each food for each year of your child's age.

10. Keep track of your child's weekly nutritional intake rather than worrying about it every day. Some kids may eat a lot on some days, then next to nothing on others. This almost always balances out over the course of a few days. As long as you are offering a range of healthy food choices, you will probably find that your toddler is eating fairly well overall.

Tips & Warnings

• Many children prefer to eat small, frequent meals and snacks, rather than three large meals each day.
• To get a rough idea of how many calories he should take in each day, multiply your child's height in inches by 40 (this works for kids between the ages of 1 and 3). For example, a 30-inch-tall child should consume about 1,200 calories a day. Or multiply your child's weight in pounds by 50 for another rough estimate. Keep in mind that these are just approximations; a pediatrician or dietitian can give you a better idea of your child's needs.
• If your child begins to lose weight rapidly, refuses to eat altogether for more than a few hours, or shows any other signs of malnutrition (including bleeding gums, brittle hair and nails, or loose, wrinkled skin), contact your doctor immediately.

[diddlydoo]

on 8/8/2009 I'm guilty of distractions. Mainly the TV. Thanks for the reminder that mealtime should be for meals. I've got to work on that one. I agree you need to avoid making it into an emotional issue, I think that could lead to trouble down the line. Great advice!

on 6/30/2006 My husband and I have a very picky two year old. To encourage him to eat, we create fun and food friendly songs that will motivate him to eat. Once he catches the rhythm of the song he starts singing and eating that particular food item. At the end of the song we do a food toast, where all of us will grab a piece of food (for example peas) and toast with it. He goes haywire over the grand finale and keeps eating. Hope this helps.