National Nutrition Week 2018: Is Your Child A Fussy Eater? Tips To Curb The Habit For Good

You might be extremely worried about your child receiving the right nutrition, but he/she simply refuses to eat the food being served! Don't worry, you're not the only one. This is a common phenomenon which has been observed among several young children. As parents you have to use various techniques to help your children adapt to the tastes of different foods. The National Nutrition Week is observed throughout the country from 1st to 7th September.  The aim of this annual event is to create awareness on the importance of nutrition for health which has an impact on development, productivity, economic growth and ultimately National development.

Here are a few tricks and tips to help curb the picky eating habits once and for all-

1. Engage your child actively

Take your child's help to rinse vegetables, setting the table etc. This will provide a sense of responsibility and also make him an active participant in the entire process. You can also recruit your child's help in buying groceries. Let them select the vegetable and fruits they want to try.

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Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals
Photo Credit: iStock

2. Make the experience fun and exciting 

Serve green veggies with your child's favorite dips and sauces. Try shaping the food with cookie cutters. Use as many colorful ingredients as possible. Children seem to get attracted more towards colorful objects and foods. Make the food look more appealing, that's the key.
 

3. Be patient with new ingredients

Children when they are not familiar with a certain food item, can take time to attain a taste for them. You need to be patient and also serve new foods in small quantities. Slowly they will acquire a taste for them.

4. Do not succumb to their fussiness

Don't prepare alternate meals for your child if he or she is being fussy, as this might promote their picky eating behavior even more. Encourage your child to stay at the table for the designated mealtime even if he or she doesn't eat. Keep serving your child healthy choices until they become familiar and preferred. If you are concerned that by doing this you're compromising your child's growth you can take help of your pediatrician to formulate a growth chart for your child, to keep track of your child's growth patterns.

5. Do not offer dessert as reinforcement

Withholding dessert sends the message that dessert is the best food, which might only increase your child's desire for sweets. You might select one or two nights a week as dessert nights, and skip dessert the rest of the week or redefine dessert as fruit, yogurt or other healthy choices.

6. Be a good role model 

A child is more likely to eat healthy food if they see their parents doing the same. Children learn most by observing others which is why this technique is extremely useful.

7. Minimize all distractions

Make sure your child eats on a dining table and not in front of the television or any other electronic appliances. This helps the child focus on eating. Even television advertisements about unhealthy snacks and sugary treats can negatively influence your child's appetite by tempting them.

8. Do not force your child 

Do not bribe or force your child to eat food or clear the plate as this will create negative feelings towards food in general. Your child might come to associate mealtime with anxiety and frustration or become less sensitive to his or her own hunger and fullness cues. Give your child enough freedom and power so they don't have to be forced to eat certain foods later in life.