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| Has your 18-month-old transformed from a terrific
eater into a terrible one? Rest assured that your cooking is not the
cause! She's just being normal! Your toddler is beginning to take
charge of her world, and whether or not to eat is one of the few things
she can take control over. Follow these feeding strategies to help
make mealtime go more smoothly. |
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Give your toddler a choice between two foods.
Allowing her to choose will empower her and help avoid struggles.
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Expand your toddler's "food world" by continuing
to pair new foods with foods your child already likes.
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Allow your toddler to leave food on the plate.
Appetites and food choices change daily, so don't be concerned when
it seems like she "eats like a bird" one day and "eats like a horse"
the next.
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Avoid using any type of food as a bribe or reward.
Trying to get your toddler to eat her veggies by offering dessert
as a reward will only backfire, as it communicates to your child that
veggies are less desirable than dessert.
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Serve a variety of desserts, from fresh or canned
fruits to cake or a cookie, on occasion. Don't overdo on any of them
and keep portions small.
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Avoid turning the dinner table into a battleground.
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Maybe your child doesn't like certain foods
yet, but you want to make sure he gets similar nutrients from other
foods. Here are a few smart food swaps.
- Instead of carrots, serve a sweet potato or butternut squash.
- Instead of broccoli, serve mango or cantaloupe.
- Instead of beef, serve turkey, softened or mashed kidney beans,
cheese or small tofu cubes.
- Instead of milk (if he refuses to drink it), serve yogurt, cheese,
calcium-fortified juice or calcium-fortified soy milk.
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- Set a good happy, healthy eating example by enjoying a variety
of different foods, not allowing your toddler's older siblings
to fight over food, and using good table manners.
- Don't force a child to eat, even if she misses a meal, and don't
feel obligated to cook an extra meal. She will catch up at the
next regular meal.
- Help your child learn to eat slowly by serving and eating meals
together in a calm, relaxed manner. This may help her become more
in touch with her appetite.
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"Before you worry too much about how your toddler
is eating, think about all the places that she eats at in a typical
day - home, child care, homes of grandparents or friends. She may
be eating better than you think. Her doctor will tell you if she's
growing too slowly or too quickly."
"Tell your child what a good job she's doing eating, rather than focusing
on how much she eats. Positive reinforcement builds better eating
habits and table behavior. We're all so quick to criticize bad habits
rather than notice good ones." |
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