My eldest child will try anything. My youngest however is a different ballgame. Anything new is met with disgust ha! With that said, we have found ways to help him through his fussiness and he does manage to eat most of his plate daily. See my tips below.
- Start solids at a suitable age. We started at six months and remember this rule - food before one is just for fun. I see so many books suggesting babies should start eating at four months old. This is really very young. Breastmilk is a super food. There is no rush to eat food. They can be mainly milk fed until one years old. Once you start making food, you will wish you had waited. Make use of that boob or bottles for as long as you can. It`s easy and on it`s demand.
- Make food fun. It can be done with almost anything (fruit, nuts and seeds, coconut etc). When old enough, let them decorate their own food and make faces - picky eaters love doing this. Set out little bowls of the things and keep the quantities small.
- The biggest influence you have to get your children eating well is to sit them down from the word go. Use a high chair. For as long as is possible! It keeps them in one place and forces them to get used to eating with a bum on the seat. Running after a child with a spoon long term, does not end well. Teach them to sit and eat. This is truly very valuable as once they no longer use a high chair, you want them to be able to sit at a table and eat a plate a food before getting up. This is learned and helpful for you if done sooner than later.
- Lastly, eat together. If you and hubby eat a separate meal when kids are young, set out a plate in front of you regardless and nibble. Children learn from you and you alone. Research has proven that children who eat with their parents are much more likely to try new things and be better eaters. As babies get older they will eventually start to eat the same food as you at some point. This takes time so be patient.
- We often make a fun, (always) healthy dessert after our meals. Fruit topped with yoghurt and honey with chia seeds and berries is a good example. This is a good motivation to "finish your plate". Keep it healthy.
Good luck and above all, have fun.
