Professional tips for overcoming fussy eaters
Fussy eaters can be a pain for anyone, especially when habits persist past toddlerdom. Sometimes, even when you have poured the utmost love and care into a dish, chicken nuggets and chips dosed in a hefty amount of tomato ketchup seem to be the only thing that will satisfy. However, fear not, as Norland nanny Louenna Hood, offers her top tips for fending off this habit.
In a recent interview with the Daily Mail, Hood discloses some of her steadfast practices to help adults who are dealing with a fussy eater. From smaller tips to sneak in more vegetables, to larger tips which can help reform how they feel about food from a young age.
Hood explains her first two tips start at weaning and make mealtime special, as this helps to build a children’s subconscious bond with food, and home cooking. But starting a child off on home cooking at the point of weaning, they become familiar with the tastes and textures. Equally, by making sure mealtime is a focused event, children can look around and become used to the idea of eating what is on their plate by seeing those around them enjoying the very same meal, instead of being distracted by a television or smaller screen.
The next piece of advice Hood imparts, is getting the children involved in the cooking of the meal. She explains: “Get your child to help in the kitchen. They love to eat fresh food that they have prepared”.
Another tip she offered is not making different meals to suit each child’s tastes. Hood explains: “Don’t make different meals for each child, they shouldn’t dictate what they fancy at each mealtime.” She continues: “Try to accommodate everyone’s tastes as much as possible to make mealtimes enjoyable, but don’t feel guilty if one of your children isn’t keen on every single meal you cook – that’s life! It’s important they learn to cope with not loving everything they eat.”
Hood also discusses the importance of setting clear rules in order to let the children know what is expected of them at mealtime, though these rules should be simple in nature. Her first rule: “Children always have to try everything, even if it’s just one bite. Then after tasting it, if they don’t like it we don’t make a fuss we just leave it to the side of the plate.
Her second rule: “You can’t leave the table unless others have finished. Sometimes children get a second wind after a break, so if they say they have finished they have to sit still and join in the conversation.
She continues: “I often find, toddlers say they’re ‘finished’ because they’d like to get down and play, rather than because they are full. So, by asking them to wait for everyone else to finish, they’ll often clear the plate”
By adding all of Hood’s professional tips to your toolbox, dinner should start to become an easier affair and a time to bond as a family rather than argue over a piece of broccoli. Mealtimes can be one of the only points in a day where we are all together and so making them an enjoyable experience for all could not be more important.
Professional tips for overcoming fussy eaters:
Start at weaning
Make mealtime special
Get them involved
Don’t get frustrated
Don’t make different meals
Let them help themselves to veggies
Set some rules
Get creative with chicken and potatoes
Blend vegetables into sauces
If you are looking for a nanny to assist with your childcare, Beauchamp Partners is a household staff agency who can help connect you with the right fit for your family.
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