Contents:
- Medical Video: A Family Faces Food Insecurity in America’s Heartland | National Geographic
- Don't delay the introduction of semi-solid foods
- Parents can also be "picky”
- Food and growth
- Stay calm, this is how to overcome it
- Adapt to your child's eating habits
Medical Video: A Family Faces Food Insecurity in America’s Heartland | National Geographic
Toddlers who almost always refuse to try new foods can be called "voters" or often called picky eater. About half of all toddlers are more or less like this, so it's not surprising that food problems are a source of stress for parents.
Making a healthy diet is important to prevent problems such as obesity and eating disorders later. Various strategies can help children receive more diverse foods.
Don't delay the introduction of semi-solid foods
Researchers at Bristol University in the UK have found that delaying the introduction of babies in semi-dense foods can contribute to the habit of picking food. Semi-solid foods are 'thick' foods such as small pieces of soft cooked vegetables or foods that are crushed with a fork. The study focused on a group of babies who were not given semi-solid food until they were 10 months old or older.
The study found that 1 in 5 babies became choosy when they turned 15. Compared to infants introduced to semi-solid foods between the ages of six and nine months, voters who are twice as likely to choose to eat only certain foods, and tend to eat baby food until after one year of age.
The study found that giving your baby a variety of semi-dense or chewy foods between the ages of six and nine months would expand their appreciation for food and reduce their chances of growing into food sellers later.
Parents can also be "picky”
Children learn the behavior of their parents. The study found that 27 percent of toddlers were food voters and 22 percent of them had parents who admitted that they were also food pickers.
If you limit yourself to eating less diverse foods, your child will see and imitate your behavior. Don't limit the diversity of your child's food by eating only your choice. Maybe your child's taste is different from yours and you only serve food that they don't like.
Food and growth
One third of parents worry that their child is not eating enough. Unless they are sick, children will not deliberately go on a hunger strike.
If your child looks healthy and energetic, they have enough to eat. If you are still worried, keep an eye on how much food they eat in a day. Children tend to snack frequently, rather than eating three times a day like adults. You might be surprised how much snacks they eat. For further certainty, check your growth and weight charts or consult your doctor or midwife. Remember that your child's growth rate is slowing down, so intake can be reduced.
Stay calm, this is how to overcome it
Parents who are worried about their child's eating habits may try to force or persuade their child to eat. If your child continues to refuse, eating time can be a source of stress. Don't let food become a stubborn contest.
The suggestions are included below:
- Don't delay introducing semi-solid food.
- Remember that your child will not starve on purpose. Children are very good at knowing their signals of hunger and satiety.
- Stay calm and don't make a scene when your child doesn't want to eat. It's good that you concentrate on making mealtime a pleasant family event. If they have a pleasant experience, your child will want to repeat it.
- Stay realistic in exerting effort to make your child's food. Don't feel annoyed when they refuse to eat.
- Don't threaten, nag, or shout.
- Don't use candy, chocolate, biscuits, milk, or desserts as bribes.
At mealtime, all you can do is:
- Be a good example. Eat a variety of foods with your child.
- Invite your child to prepare food. They tend to be more interested in eating the food they help prepare.
- Make routine habits to eat, such as always putting a child in a high chair or eating at the same table.
- Give a variety of colorful foods on the plate and allow your child to choose for themselves what they want to eat. Serve food with interest.
- Support your child to explore and try eating alone early on. Don't worry, he will make a mess.
- Provide alternative food from each food group. For example, if a child doesn't like cheese, give yogurt instead.
- When the meal time is up, take your child's plate. If they haven't eaten too much, give a healthy snack a few moments later or wait until the next meal
- Support your child to try eating alone. Make sure you provide healthy snacks. Always watch them eat to avoid the risk of choking. Teach them to eat while sitting, not while running around
Adapt to your child's eating habits
Maybe this problem occurs because you force your child to eat like an adult. Suggestions include:
- Consider the size of your child's stomach. Drinking too much milk or fruit juice can make them full.
- Serve food in children's portions. After all, if you're still hungry, they can always ask for extra. Generally this means three small portions of food a day, with snacks in between.
- If family dinner is done too late, your child may be too tired to eat. Serve their food faster.
- Calculate your child's food intake in a weekly period, not daily.
- Free your child to determine if they already feel full or not - this teaches them to hear their bodies.
Other factors that make your child less interested in food include:
- Disease
- Fatigue
- Emotional turmoil
