Is your toddler a picky eater?

Feeding a toddler is often a thankless task. Since they began to walk, metabolisms have slowed down, and toddlers need less to eat. Unfortunately, they want to control everything they put into their mouths and rarely want what you offer.

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Remember during this stage that it is very unusual for a healthy toddler to starve to death! Toddlers may eat one day and not eat the next. Or they may eat one thing for days and then never touch it again.

There are physiological reasons for some of these behaviors. Taste buds are changing; preferences are changing, and the amount of food needed is changing. A good strategy is to offer your child a variety of foods. Model good eating habits, and then let your child determine what he/she wants to eat from what you offer. If your child chooses to eat nothing, remind him/her when the next meal or snack will be, and wait until then to offer more to eat.

Battles over one more bite or no dessert are destined to fail at this age because eating is one of those behaviors that older toddlers want and need to control. If you battle with your child over food, your child will rise to the occasion to escalate the battle. If you calmly offer a balanced meal, over time he/she will try new things and develop an interest in eating a variety of food.

Healthy Eating

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It’s important for toddlers to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy and fortified soy alternatives. Avoid foods and beverages with added sugars and choose those with lower sodium. Experiment with flavors, colors, and textures to see what your child likes.

The amount of food a young child needs depends on a variety of factors. Use the MyPlate Plan as a general guide to how much they should eat from each food group every day.

Toddlers have a wide range of normal growth; every child is different. Your child’s healthcare provider will monitor their growth over time using growth charts and other tools. Be sure to discuss concerns you may have about your child’s growth with their healthcare provider.

Picky Eating

Behaviors sometimes considered to be “picky eating” are normal for toddlers as they explore new foods and learn to communicate their needs and preferences. Try the following tips to help with this behavior in a positive way:

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Your child may be unwilling to try new foods. Try serving a new food alongside a familiar food in the same meal. It may take a child up to 8-10 tries to accept a new food.
Your child may not eat the exact amounts suggested every day. Try to balance the amounts over a few days or a week.
Offer different foods from all five food groups each day. Encourage your child to choose from a variety of foods.
Serve foods in small portions at scheduled meals and snacks.
Toddlers can easily fill up on beverages. Offer water if your child is thirsty in between meals.
Let your child help prepare meals. Even young children can rinse fruits and vegetables, tear lettuce, or stir ingredients. Children get excited about tasting items when they have been involved in the preparation.

Serve Safe Food

Some foods are more likely to cause foodborne illness. Only serve your child foods containing seafood, meat, poultry, or eggs that have been cooked to the recommended safe minimum internal temperatures. Avoid serving your toddler unpasteurized (raw) juice or milk.
Avoid serving foods that are hard to swallow or cut them into small pieces, about 1/2 inch. Hard-to-swallow foods can include peanuts, popcorn, round slices of hot dog, hard candy, whole grapes, and cherry tomatoes.
Be sure to store foods and beverages properly in the refrigerator when not being consumed, including cups of liquid. Discard any perishables left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
To prevent choking, have your toddler sit in a highchair, booster, or other safe, upright place while eating. Sit with your child as they eat. Avoid letting your child run, walk, play, or lie down with food in their mouth.
Help your child learn to wash their hands after using the bathroom, before and after eating, after playing with pets, or whenever they are dirty. Sing the alphabet song for the right amount of time for proper handwashing.

If you want more advice or need to learn more about safety and nutrition for infants and toddlers, consider joining our Parent Advisor private Facebook group. You can also read more blogs at Peake Academy and Play Boutique websites before joining our Private Facebook group.

Thank you for reading this blog!

This infographic highlights the behavioral milestones of children from age s 2 to 5 years old, healthy tips for pickey eaters, a chart of mealtime and feeding tips for toddlers to make sure they get the nutrients he or she needs for growth and development.