Meals for Picky Eaters
Even though it is developmentally appropriate for a toddler or preschooler to have "picky eating" habits, are there ways to avoid a food fight at every meal? Below are techniques to making a happier mealtime and healthier palette.
- Lighten up! A relaxed mealtime atmosphere helps build good eating habits better than fighting over a piece of meat loaf that a three year old refuses to touch.
- Teach autonomy. If you allow children to make their own food choices, you're allowing them to express their autonomy.
- Make a game out of meal time. For example, have lunch or tea time with the children in a tent. Use your dining room table and a sheet to make a tent. Use a picnic basket to put food in and a large beach towel for the children to sit on. Provide a variety of finger foods that the children can choose from.
- Don't give up. Offer a food several times in different forms and always include one familiar favorite at every meal. Serve food in child size servings because children are often overwhelmed by adult size servings. Try to be happy with what they do eat. Focusing on what they are not eating may make the child not eat at all.
- Praise Children. Thank children for trying new foods whether they liked the food or not.
Here are a few ideas for some quick, yet nutritious meals and snacks:
A Quick Breakfast
- Start with waffle minis, whipped cream, an array of berries (blueberries, strawberries and raspberries), and some sliced bananas.
- Let the children decide what to top the waffles with.
- You could also provide some flavored syrups that are low in sugar and quite tasty to a child's ever changing taste buds.
A Delightful Dessert
Any sherbet will go nicely with sweetened fruit, but rainbow sherbet looks especially nice.
Preparation Time: 5 min.
Serves: 4
You will need: 2 cups of fresh raspberries or blueberries, 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and 1 pint of frozen sherbet. In a bowl, combine berries and sugar. Using a potato masher have kids mash slightly. Layer berries with sherbet in decorative cups. Serve immediately or freeze until serving time.
Maria Rodriguez, Audrey Dunn, Wendy Evers, Erin Faulkner, Julie Guastucci, Kimberly Kinsella, Lisia Allen-Leverett, Kyla McSweeney (Child Care Search - Acton, MA)
