Picky Eating and Food Jags – What to do!

Welcome to the preschool/toddler years!

This phase of life is such an exciting time with new discoveries each day for both parent and child. If you are the parent of a toddler you probably have encountered some picky eating habits or even “Food Jags” with your sweet toddler. During this exciting time for toddlers and parents, growth actually slows, development excels, and calorie and nutrient needs are high especially in vitamins A, C, vitamin B6, iron, zinc and calcium.

This is also a time where the child will begin to assert more independence and even become more of an independent eater. If your child begins to eat a little less don’t be alarmed since intake with a toddler can often vary from day to day and meal to meal. One minute your toddler loves bananas and the next they seem to hate them. This quirky eating behavior of a toddler can often be a very stressful situation for parents. This is a time to check with your pediatrician often to make sure your child’s growth is within normal range.

Picky eating and “food jags” (meaning the desire to eat only one food or type of food) are very common between the ages of 1- 4 years. The following describes some survival feeding tools parents can utilize to move through this “fickle” eating stage.

• Offer meals and snacks around the same time each day
• Keep serving sizes “Toddler friendly”
• Serve at least one food you know your child likes at each meal
• Offer a new food when you know your child is ready for a meal/snack, well rested and happy
• Remember your child learns from your example; always be a positive role model when eating
• Offer foods with different textures,colors, shapes, flavor, and temperature (warm, not hot)
• Always offer a variety of foods at each meal or snack
• Encourage your child to get involved in meal preparation and meal planning
• Try not to let your child see your frustration, but focus on the positive aspect of eating
• Use encouraging words like “Good Job” or “Proud of you” when your child does try a new food but try not to “over praise”
• Use short phrasing like ” Take Bite” or “Bite Please”
• Let your child tell you when he or she is done or full. Watch for “All done” cues.
• If your child gets “stuck” on a food, it’s OK to serve that food at meal times but make sure you are also offering a variety of other foods
• Make sure your toddler eats from all food groups (starch, fruit, vegetable, protein and dairy).
• Remember also that this is a time when toddlers are asserting “food independence” but also a time where parents need to watch for choking hazards. Hot dogs, nuts, hard peanuts, hard candies, grapes, raw carrots and raw apples pose the greatest choking risk.
• Be creative and have fun!
• Be a little sneaky. This is useful when your child is not warm to the idea of certain healthy foods like veggies but they need the nutrients So what is a Mom to do? Well, sneak it in and think puree veggies, fruits, beans, added to casseroles, baked goods, or any dish you can think of that would be good!
• If the picky eating or food jags are prolonged or growth does slow it would be a good idea to discuss with your Pediatrician about seeing a Dietitian to help move you and your family through this eating stage in a healthy way.

About the Author:

Jenny Beth Kroplin, RD, LDN, CLC, is the owner and operator of Healthy Beginnings Family Nutrition of Middle Tennessee. Jenny Beth is a Registered Dietitian, a Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist, and a Certified Lactation Consultant. Jenny Beth’s professional training includes in-hospital experience with Baptist Hospital and Saint Thomas Health Services in Nashville, Tennessee, and a diversified experience as a pediatric medical representative in Middle Tennessee with Bristol Myers Squibb and Mead Johnson Nutritions. Her expertise is primarily focused on dietetics and nutrition for the family.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Jenny Beth has guest lectured at Lipscomb University, Vanderbilt University, Middle Tennessee State University, as well as at local businesses. Jenny Beth is a current member of the American Dietetic Association, current member of the Tennessee District Dietetic Association, a current member and former board member of the Nashville District Dietetic Association, a member of the Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group, and a current member of the Entrepreneur Practice group.