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Taste, texture and food fussiness
Food fussiness is when young children are selective or hesitant about what or how they eat. Some children may refuse certain foods, have a limited range of food preferences, or even refuse to eat altogether.
To help with fussy eating, consider the following tips:
Communication
- Avoid excessive worry or fixation on your child's eating habits.
- Try not to show your concern or make negative comments in front of your child.
- Give your child lots of positive praise when he or she does eat and ignore any food refusal.
- If your child stops eating at a meal, try once to encourage him or her to take a little more. If this is successful, show that you are pleased and give positive verbal reinforcement.
Consistency
- Have meals together as a family and offer the same food to everyone.
- Offer regular meals and snacks at set times, as this is better than letting your child ‘pick’ through the whole day.
- Avoid cooking separate meals. If your child doesn't eat everything, simply remove it without comment.
- Make sure your child is sitting in an appropriate chair and is sitting with the rest of the family.
Introducing new foods
- Keep introducing new foods in different ways (e.g., cooked, uncooked, grated, mixed in a sauce).
- Encourage and praise your child when they try something new.
- Offer new foods in a predictable pattern, e.g. once a week for 8 weeks. Intersperse new meals with old ones.
Mealtime environment
- Ensure a calm, relaxed environment for eating and drinking. Some children may benefit from background noise.
- Use brightly coloured bowls and plates. These may make the meal look more appealing.
- Limit mealtimes to 20 minutes. Try not to rush a meal, but also try not to let it drag on for too long.
Fluid intake
- Avoid fluids just before and during meals, as this will reduce your child’s appetite.
- Try to avoid giving more than 1ó pints of fluid during the day.
- Children over the age of one year should only be offered milk or water; and not be given drinks during the night.
Weight monitoring
- Only check your child’s weight once every 8 weeks. Most fussy eaters maintain good growth despite their apparent lack of intake.
Important reminders
- Involve your child in meal preparation and cooking.
- Never leave your child unsupervised whilst they are eating or drinking.
- Do not worry if they make a mess, this is an important part of your child’s development.
- Never use food as a reward.
- NEVER force feed your child.
Explore resources such as NHS advice on fussy eating and Family Lives for additional guidance.
