Common Nutritional Problems

Fussy Eaters

During the toddler years children are developing their personalities and independence and part of this may be displayed as faddy eating behaviour. This is just a normal part of growing up and wariness of trying new foods is almost to be expected. Rejection of food can take many forms, some children simply refuse unfamiliar foods whilst others reject foods that look different such as a broken biscuit. The common foods that are fussed over are vegetables, some fruits and meat. Toddlers do grow out of this phase and you can encourage this by:

Eating with them so they learn by example
Not serving meals when they are tired or very hungry
Talking about the food in a positive way such as ‘this is nice’ and ‘I like the taste of cauliflower cheese’
Continuing to offer rejected foods, for example putting one or two pieces on their plate alongside their meal without any pressure to try it
Frequently exposing them to new foods that you want them to learn to like. Often putting a big dish in the centre of the table for all to share can be helpful
Eating in a fun environment, such as a picnic in the back garden can take the pressure off mealtimes
Encouraging eating socially with other children, playgroups and nurseries can often be useful environments