{"id":53330,"date":"2018-12-10T23:37:03","date_gmt":"2018-12-10T23:37:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.babyhealthandcare.com\/what-to-do-when-your-toddler-wont-eat-anything-but-snacks\/"},"modified":"2018-12-10T23:37:03","modified_gmt":"2018-12-10T23:37:03","slug":"what-to-do-when-your-toddler-wont-eat-anything-but-snacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.babyhealthandcare.com\/de\/what-to-do-when-your-toddler-wont-eat-anything-but-snacks\/","title":{"rendered":"What to do when your toddler won\u2019t eat anything but snacks"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"EBIKES\"<\/a><\/div>
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Man cannot live on bread alone<\/strong>\u2026but toddlers are ready and willing to test that theory. Mine certainly is, though she\u2019d also like to add Cheerios, Goldfish and cheese to the mix.<\/p>\n

The really frustrating part is that I tried to do everything right<\/strong>, and it seemed to be working. I introduced her to a wide variety of foods from the start, and from broccoli to beans, spinach to salmon, eggs to eggplant, she gobbled it up.<\/p>

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Then she turned two<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, she started rejecting her healthy favourites and demanding snacks as entrees<\/strong>. Every meal became a literal food fight, and I wanted to scream.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve been engaging in a similarly frustrating battle of wills, says Toronto-based dietitian Cara Rosenbloom<\/strong>, don\u2019t panic. Loving a food one day and hating it the next is a normal part of a toddler\u2019s development. \u201cSometimes a food is saltier, crunchier or more bitter than usual, and they will react to the difference in flavour or texture,\u201d she explains. \u201cAnd sometimes, they are just looking to assert some control<\/strong> and drive you bonkers.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n5 science-backed ways to get your picky eater to try new foods<\/span>The key is to respect a toddler\u2019s burgeoning independence while staying the course. We wouldn\u2019t think twice about setting rules for screen time<\/strong> and bedtime, and we should apply the same principles to mealtime. Otherwise, we\u2019re teetering on the brink of a very slippery slope.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember your role in the feeding relationship,\u201d says Rosenbloom. \u201cYou should not allow your child to decide when to eat (all day!), where to eat (in front of the TV!) and what to eat (chocolate and gummi bears!). Those are your<\/em> jobs. They can decide which foods to eat from what you offer them. Goldfish or Cheerios can be part of the deal\u2026just not for every meal and snack.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can also try the following four tactics to get your picky eater to pick the foods you want:<\/p>\n

Ask questions <\/strong><\/h2>\n

If a food had been a hit previously and has now landed on the no-way, no-how list, Rosenbloom suggests asking, \u201cWhat can I do to make this better for you?\u201d She says that kids will often have a simple and surprising answer such as wanting to add ketchup or have it with a side of cereal. Easy-peasy.<\/p>\n

Offer choices\u2014but limited, parent-approved ones<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Toddlers want it all, but they can get lost in a sea of options. If you present just two or three choices, things will seem more manageable to them and you might actually get your way with at least one of the offered foods.<\/p>\n

Let them help you shop, prepare and cook<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Get them involved and invested, and there\u2019s a higher likelihood that they\u2019ll try what they\u2019ve helped you to make\u2026maybe\u2026eventually\u2026someday. But keep at it if it doesn\u2019t work right away. You might hit on something or get them at a weak moment.<\/p>\n

Sneak it in<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Butternut squash blends in with macaroni and cheese. Zucchini bread actually has a vegetable in it. Yogourt smoothies can be pur\u00e9ed with all sorts of healthy stuff and no one will be the wiser.<\/p>\n

So that\u2019s what you should do<\/strong>. As for what you shouldn\u2019t do, here\u2019s the biggie: Don\u2019t get into a fight with your toddler. It isn\u2019t going to end well. (Trust me.) Plus, a recent study at the University of Michigan found that picky eating doesn\u2019t generally stunt a child\u2019s growth or cause nutrient deficiencies. What it can do, however, is make everything stressful and potentially damage the relationship you\u2019ve built with your child.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re concerned about your child\u2019s growth, absolutely bring it up with your paediatrician, but know that everything\u2019s probably going to be just fine. In the meantime, embrace the good foods<\/strong> that they do eat (admit it, there are a few) and keep offering a variety of good choices.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust like we teach our kids to read and to ride a bike, we need to teach our kids how to eat well\u2014and like any skill, it takes patience and practice,\u201d says Rosenbloom. \u201cIf you do your job, your child will learn how to eat the amount they need for their growing body, and they will learn to eat the foods you eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

And it may not feel like it right now, but someday this picky phase will be a distant memory\u2014and your child will likely be eating you out of house, home and bank account in a few short years.<\/p>\n

picky eater<\/a><\/strong>? Don’t panic! There are some simple tricks you can try to make dinnertime less of a battle\u2014and to get your kid to actually eat. „> \t\t<\/p>\n

Read more:
Do snacks \u2018made with real veggies\u2019 count as vegetables?
12 packaged snacks you can feel less guilty about
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