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Recipe Are You Teaching Your Child To Be A Fussy Eater?

Are You Teaching Your Child To Be A Fussy Eater?
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“Yuck, I don’t like it!”… the catch phrase of a fussy eater

But given that 94.4% of Australian adults are not consuming the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables each day, I have a sneaking suspicion that it is not only children who push their plate away at the sight of Brussel sprouts.

Parents Need To Be Role Models

Parents are significant role models in the development of children’s eating habits as well as largely responsible for the foods purchased, prepared and provided to children. Given this, it is particularly concerning that 22% of parents are self-confessed ‘fussy eaters,’ and it seems no coincidence that 78% of children 4-8 years and 95% of teenagers 14 -16 years, similarly to their parents, fail to consume the recommended amount of vegetables each day.

Of course, there are many factors which influence eating behaviours and some degree of “fussiness” in young children is normal and to be expected.

Fussiness Starts Early

From around 12 months of age, as a child begins to assert their independence, playtime takes priority and food refusal, preferences, pickiness, and general uncooperativeness at meal times, is a common problem. On occasions, feeding difficulties and fussy eating behaviours are underpinned by medical or developmental issues, in which case professional intervention should be sought. Under normal circumstances, however, parents who are fussy eaters create the perfect environment to promote ‘fussiness’ and typically provide a diet with limited variety and limited opportunities for children to explore new and different foods.

Enjoying a wide variety of foods every day is important as it ensures a broad scope of nutrients within the diet which are essential for good health, growth and development. Regular and sufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables is extremely important, with 2% of all deaths in 2003 directly attributed to insufficient fruit and vegetable intakes.

Managing fussy eating

It is going to come as no surprise that my first and foremost strategy to assist children overcome ‘fussiness’ is to role model positive, healthy eating behaviours –

Eat and enjoy (or at least pretend to) foods from each of the five food groups (grains and cereals; fruit; vegetables; milks, cheese, yoghurts and alternatives; meats, nuts, eggs, and legumes), every day.

Be excited and enthusiastic to try new foods and different recipes.

Try setting yourself a goal to trying one new fruit or vegetable a week and allow children to be involved in choosing which ones to try.

Remember to buy in season (these will be the cheapest) and always choose Australian grown where possible.

Encouraging children to be involved in preparing foods, not only introduces important lifelong skills, but also allows children to become familiar with the texture and smells of new and different foods before they are expected to eat them.

From about 2 years of age children can be involved in a variety of age-appropriate cooking activities which can assist overcome fussy eating behaviours whilst also being a lot of fun. It is important to have age appropriate expectation of your child (as detailed in My Kitchen Milestones) and be prepared for a messy. If spending the afternoon cleaning the kitchen isn’t your idea of fun, try taking your cooking activity outside.

If you’re stuck for ideas of what to make with your budding little chefs, head over to The Kids Menu and download the free e-book ‘14 Healthy Kids Recipes’ which contains simple, fun recipes to engage children in the joy of cooking and healthy eating – it might even inspire a few fussy parents too.

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Comments

  • I believe that as children get older they need to make there own healthy eating choices and need to know what foods are good for them and what isn’t….I would never ‘hide’ food in my children’s meals. I encourage them to help with the meals so they know what they are eating and how it is prepared so hopefully healthy choices will just be part of their lifestyle as they grow up.

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  • My 8 month old is pretty good with everything I’ve been trying to give her so far but I know things will change cause my hubby is such a fussy eater, I hide extra veges in everything cause he always leaves whole veges on his plate. Any tips for avoiding this in my daughter?

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  • Growing your own fruit and vegies can also help kids eating a variety.

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  • thank you for the web site links

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  • Both my children 6 years and the other 14 months old eat all their fruit and vegetables. They both dislike pawpaw though, but everything else they eat. I have 2 fruit bowls and they know they don’t have to ask for any of the fruit. We also have snacks that people call junk in our home. And yes my daughter can open the cupboard and grab some, but she knows to ask. And they are ‘sometime’ snacks. I guess I’m lucky with my kids and fruit and veg. My 6 year old loves to snack on whole onions, garlic, raw capsicum, cucumber etc. She’d even rather a punnet of strawberries to a happy meal.

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  • My teens still refuse to eat veggies but they love to eat fruit

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  • I’m a very lucky parent my boy eats anything

    • Same here. Both my girls love their fruit and veg. I guess we’re lucky

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  • I mash vegetables into their potato – like pumpkin and carrot. I have one child that like fruit and the other that like vegetables.

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  • My children will only eat certain ones…. the rest I hide in meals…

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  • i find myself having to hide alot of veges in my 2yr olds dinner, the older ones will eat whet they are given. some good ideas to help me here!

    • Thanks for your comment. I am all for hiding veggies too, but just remember to give your kids opportunity to try them too. So hide them where ever you need to but put some on the plate too – good luck!
      Nikki @ The Kids Menu

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  • Good practical advice Thanks for sharing

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  • My 17 month old is so fussy. He does love fruit but when it comes to dinners it’s a nightmare. He doesn’t even eat sandwhiches!!

    • 17months is a great age!! Maybe try offering things like cherry tomatoes, corn on the cob or canned corn slices of capsicum – sweeter vegetables, instead of fruit. You could also try vegetable sticks that he can dip into hummus or mashed avocado. You can blanch the veggies first and let them cool so they are soft enough for him to chew. Don’t forget baked beans (no added salt) are veggies too

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  • Start them on fruit and veg early and as they get older hopefully they still like it. If you make it tasty and not bland that helps. Will be checking out these recipes.

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  • Is like most things, if introduced early enough they will be fine with it. Is true though that you can’t expect a child to eat/do something you wouldn’t.

    • Thanks for your comments. Exactly as you say, people are amazed at what my kids eat, but they know no different – if a child hasn’t been given fruits, vegetables and other whole foods from an early age, it is definitely going to be a hard slog to change their eating habits and preferences later on. But as I said, the best way to start is to role model

      Nikki @ The Kids Menu

    Reply

  • yes good ideas but sometimes not all theorys work,different children,diffrent methods.

    • Absolutely Della – my youngest (2 years), will usually try something provided it is offered to her big sister first! Annoying but it works. If you have any other tips we would love to hear them

      Nikki @ The Kids Menu

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  • It’s important to teach them early.

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  • My son was a very fussy eater, we were so stuck at one stage feeling like he wasn’t eating enough in the day. But we developed the ‘just try’ & if you don’t like, then don’t eat, but you have to try it first. They never really liked broccoli but we still put it on the plate most nights & they still have to try it… Its now one of my sons my fav vegies 🙂

    • That’s great! I am so glad you stuck with it. My kids actually have a little song they sing to encourage each other to try something different, “You taste it, You like it.” (very creative I know, but they use a funny little accent)

      Thanks for your comments
      Nikki @ The Kids Menu

    Reply

  • My daughter is a little fussy with foods but luckily she will try a taste. Normally saying yucky then refuses to eat. I keep trying and normally she will eat but when it comes to vegies i have no chance. except spinach, mashed potato and carrots, so i guess i am lucky with that. i do find myself giving her something else if she doesnt eat as i don’t want her to go hungary, so in a way i am teaching her that if she won’t eat one thing she will allways get something else

    • Unfortunately you are exactly right – kids learn pretty quick and she will be well aware that she can always get something else – if she doesn’t want it at meal time that is fine (always let a child stop eating when they decide), but set a very firm rule, either (depending on her age), there is nothing at all until the next meal or (if they are young), the only thing available until the next meal is what they decided not to eat. Just stay calm about it and stick to the rule – usually kids can be redirected with another fun activity.

      Spinach, mash and carrots is a pretty good start, maybe try some sweet potato mash (be excited about the new orange potato), and gradually increase the variety of other veggies. Corn is usually a winner because it is sweet and kids seem to like the idea of chomping it off the cob.

      Goof luck
      Nikki @ The Kids Menu

    Reply

  • I tell my children to taste everything, then if they really dont like it they have dont have to eat it. I never say I dont like the taste of foods, if they ask I say “MM havent tried that for a long time. I cant remember what it tastes like. Lets try it together”. Its amazing the foods they come to love.

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  • I am sure this is the case for some children but I am also glad that you put in that there can be a variety of reasons. My 4 year old is horrendously fussy but is willing at times to try new things (often with no success). Even as a baby I would offer freshly pureed vegetables and she would not eat it. I tried again and again and again no success. Avocado no problem, banana no problem, yoghurt no problem, vegetables no way! We keep preserving and I believe we will get there. As a child I detested vegetables and it was not until my teens I started to eat them. This is coming from a household where my mum and brother ate everything. Likewise my husband and I have about 7-8 different vegetables every night and I go nuts if I don’t have them daily. My daughter sees this, knows how good they are for her energy and muscles but still can’t stomach them. Some kids just seem to have sensitive taste buds (my daughter has the most amazing sense of smell) but given time and encouragement we will get there. She doesn’t like junk food thought which is good – just basic food

    Reply
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