Eating fussy eaters
Create a good mood for a healthy meal!
- Let them the number of hours they have exercised equal the number of hours they are allowed to watch television.
- Discourage eating meals on snacks while watching television. Because their mind will be on the television and not on the food, they won`t notice when they are full or not hungry anymore. Allow children to help with the shopping and the meal preparation. This will increase their interest in the food, and they will be more likely to eat the meal.
- Encourage the whole family to eat together whenever possible, and always turn off the television at mealtimes.
- Serve children the same food as the rest of the family
- Serve small portions it`s better that they eat a small amount of everything than nothing at all. A big pile of food on the plate can be off-putting for young children.
- Do not discuss eating behaviour, food or family issues at mealtimes. Try to archive a relaxed atmosphere
- If they refuse certain foods, explain that you expect them to try it and do not offer an alternative.
- Serve a new food with a food they like
- Don’t keep on telling them to eat up. Children will react to your concern by eating even less and even more slowly
- Unpopular vegetables can often be disguised
- If they dislike a particular vegetable, say Brussels sprouts, serve a similar vegetable say, broccoli and curly cale, which will provide similar nutrients.
What can you do if a food is rejected
- If a food is rejected, it doesn`t mean they will never eat it. Keep reintroducing those foods they reject.
- Allow them to select their own food but from within a limited choice.
- Try not to fuss if they reject a food or refuse to eat
- Set a sensible time limit (30 mins) after which you take away any uneaten food without a fuss
- If they don’t eat their meal, don’t give extra food on snacks between meals
- If they are hungry, offer only nutritious food, not a pudding or chocolate bar.
How can I discourage television viewing?
- Be selective about what children watch on television. Let them help you plan exactly what they will watch in advance and agree upon a defined time period. Once the time period is up, switch off the television, no matter how much they protest!
- Do not place a TV in children`s bedrooms
- Schedule alternative, preferably physically active activities, in place of television viewing. If you can keep them busy with other activities, they won`t have much time left for sitting in front of the television.
What can I give children after school? …Follows…
