Picky eater child? What helps, and what makes it worse
If your child is a picky eater, keep offering food without pressure. Serve one family meal with at least one food they like, and let them decide whether to eat it. The American Academy of Pediatrics says a toddler may need to taste a food 10 or more times before accepting it.
Picky eating is common in toddlers. Growth slows after babyhood, so appetite often drops too. A food they loved on Monday may be refused on Tuesday.
What helps:
- Eat together when you can, with phones and TV away, so they see you eating the same food.
- Serve one meal for the whole family. Cooking something else after a refusal encourages picky eating.
- Keep offering. Give new foods in small amounts, and try again a week or two later.
- Keep meals at set times and limit snacks, so your child comes to the table hungry.
- Let them help. They can choose a fruit or vegetable at the shop, or stir and count ingredients with you watching.
What makes it worse:
- Pressure or punishment. These can put a child off a food they might have enjoyed.
- Treats as bribes. A treat for eating vegetables makes the treat the prize and the vegetables a task.
If you are concerned about your child's diet, talk with their doctor.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics, 10 Tips for Parents of Picky Eaters.
بچہ کھانے میں نخرے کرتا ہے؟ لڑائی کے بغیر کھانا دیتے رہیں۔ امریکی اکیڈمی آف پیڈیاٹرکس کے مطابق چھوٹے بچے کو کوئی نیا کھانا پسند آنے میں 10 یا اس سے زیادہ بار چکھنا پڑ سکتا ہے، اور زبردستی کرنے سے وہ اس کھانے کو ناپسند کرنے لگ سکتا ہے۔ سب کے لیے ایک ہی کھانا بنائیں، جس میں ایک چیز بچے کی پسند کی ہو۔ کھانا دینا آپ کا کام ہے، کھانا ہے یا نہیں، یہ بچے کا فیصلہ۔