Kids who won't eat new foods

• Don't assume food refusal means food dislike
  Children frequently reject a new food when first offered. This is usually not because they don't like it, but because it is different to anything they have experienced before. They are simply not used to the taste, texture and smell.

別以為拒絕食物就是不喜歡它.他們只是因為沒有接觸過而拒絕

• Keep trying: don't give up after the first attempt
  It can take 10 or more attempts before a new food is accepted. Offer a small amount often and your child should eventually get used to the flavour and texture.

• Make new foods fun and easy to eat
  Young children are attracted to different colours and shapes. They also love to play with their food, and this is an important part of food acceptance. Finger foods are a good choice. Try different colours and shapes to maximise appeal and attractiveness.

• Keep your emotions under wraps
  Children are good at picking up on feelings. It you worry too much, it will show. Work hard on controlling your emotions. If you appear not to care, then there is nothing for a child to gain by being fussy. Be careful also not to over-praise good behaviour – this can have the same effect as showing concern about not eating.

• Resist the urge to cave in
  If a child learns you will eventually give up and feed them what they want when they refuse a food, they have gained the upper hand. Their fussy eating will continue, and your battles with food will be ongoing. Be firm and stick to a 'this or nothing' policy. Missing a meal occasionally will not harm a child and is more likely to teach them better eating habits for the future.

Kids who won't eat vegetables

Clenched jaws and untouched vegetables are an all too familiar scene. Getting children to eat vegetables seems to be the toughest food challenge.

• Be careful about your messages
  Children often pick up a message that vegetables are not enjoyable when told to eat them because they are 'good for you'. Bribes such as 'No dessert until you have eaten your vegetables' show that vegetables are to be endured, while dessert is special. I once told my children they weren't allowed to eat from a fruit and vegetable platter I had prepared. This made them passionate about the 'munch and crunch' platters, and I eventually 'caved in' and let them eat!

• Make vegetables as attractive as possible
  Cut vegetables into bright coloured sticks served on a platter with a dipping sauce as a snack or mini-meal, grate vegetables into colourful stacks, or cut them into interesting shapes.

• Don't use force or blackmail
  Not letting a child leave the table until they have eaten their vegetables can backfire. It can reinforce a dislike rather than create a good habit. Calmly take the meal away and re-offer when hunger is next expressed. Resist the urge to fill your child up in the meantime with other less healthy favourites.

• Be a good role model
  When children see others enjoying a food, they are more likely to try and enjoy it themselves. Fill your meals with vegetables and demonstrate your enjoyment. Don't go over the top, however, or they will see through your efforts!

成為好的榜樣

Expert tips for super-fussy eaters

• Allow young children to explore
  Get them in touch with their food – literally. Squishing a banana is all part of getting to know the fruit. Familiarity breeds acceptance.

• Serve new foods
  Alongside favourite familiar foods, regularly serve new foods – even if they are initially rejected. Remember, 20 yucks to one yum!

給他們新的食物

• Don't make open-ended offers
    Offer two choices (when possible). Say, 'Would you like milk or water?' not, 'What would you like to drink?' Or, 'Would you like X or Y?' rather than 'What would you like for lunch?'

給他們選擇題而非問答題

• Make mealtimes calm
  Warn children when it's nearly mealtime – no one likes unexpected interruptions to their games or their work. Turn the TV and phones off.

接近用餐時間時就先提醒他們,

 
• Feed children when they are hungriest
  Young children are often ready for dinner by 4-5pm. Give them the best nutrition then, and allow them to join in the family meal at 6pm with finger foods, or delay dessert until this time.

在他們餓時才給他們食物

• Stay at the table until everyone has finished
  To keep young children focused, a timer with a set time (10-15 minutes) may work for older pre-schoolers. Make sure children are seated correctly and have the right cutlery.

待在餐桌直到大家都用完餐

1-cutlery刀具

 
• Infants and young children can regulate their food intake
  Children have an innate knowledge of how many calories they need. You trusted their judgement when they were breastfed, so trust if they say they've had enough. As long as they're healthy, happy and growing, it's all right.

只他們是在健康的情況之下,讓他們控制自己的食物分量

• Is your child filling up on too much milk?
  If children's energy requirements are largely being met by milk, they have no need to eat the meal you have just spent an hour making. Children aged 1-5 years need around 500-600ml of milk or milk equivalent (eg. milk, yoghurt, cheese). If their intake is above this, it's probably impacting on their food intake.

• Join your children while they eat
  Treat dinner time as a special 'talk time' about the day. You'll treasure this as your children get older.

跟他們一起吃 享受用餐時光

• Check with the GP
  There may be a physical reason your child is picky with their food – food allergy, intolerance or reflux. Seek professional help to check. Often food aversion starts with an innate knowledge that 'this food doesn't make me feel good'.

The one bite rule 只吃一口的政策

Sophie Gray explains this simple method, which is brilliant for helping picky eaters adjust to new foods. Observing the one bite rule allows you to be firm while you learn what kids are simply afraid of, and what they truly don't like.

Easy does it

Dealing with theatrics

Many kids will make a great show of nearly vomiting, but it rarely actually happens. What does happen is over the course of the week, they tire of putting on the performance. They become accustomed to the texture and flavour of the feared food, and while they may not necessarily like it, they learn to eat it. When they can eat one bite without a fuss, you have them! The next night, put three pieces of the now familiar vegetable on their plate and introduce one mouthful of another feared food. They will be so busy obsessing about the new food, they won't even notice that they have eaten the other.

The choice is theirs

Children rarely choose to send themselves to bed over just one bite. Even the biggest drama queen can choke down one little mouthful, and the softest-hearted parents can manage to enforce it.