Over many years as a paediatric Dietitian, one of the most common frustrations I’ve heard parents report is their child’s dislike of vegetables. Or, that their child only eats processed meats such as chicken nuggets or salami. Very occasionally, it’s fruit their child won’t eat, rather than vegetables. This article features helpful tips for preventing picky eating and encouraging your child to accept a wide range of foods.
It’s suggested that preference for sweet versus bitter taste could be a reason for refusing vegetables. It’s also likely that repeated exposure to either taste at a young age influences later life taste preferences. A 2022 study of 4-6 month old infants in Auckland found that when broccoli and spinach, not fruit, were included regularly in the first four weeks of complementary feeding, acceptance of broccoli and spinach was greater in these infants at nine months of age compared to infants fed both fruit and vegetables in their first four weeks. Also, the infants fed vegetables-only ate vegetables at a faster rate and consumed bigger portions than those fed both fruit and vegetables. This study shows how important the early feeding experience is, as well as the role of repetition in influencing taste acceptance.
• In addition to iron-rich foods of appropriate texture, include a variety of vegetables within your baby’s first few months of complementary feeding. These should include bitter vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, not just the sweeter options such as carrot, kumara, and pumpkin. Consider leaving fruit until later on in your baby’s food journey. Since fruit and vegetables contain similar nutrients, as long as they’re accepting vegetables, your baby won’t be missing out on anything by delaying starting fruit.
• Eat with your baby. Not only does this teach them how to eat, it provides exposure to typical family foods. There’s no need to eat your baby’s puree, but have your own lunch pre-made and ready to eat as soon as you have a hand free. Your baby may be fascinated to watch you eat, and curious to try parts of your meal that are appropriate to share.
• Get messy. Eating is a sensory experience that should involve all the senses, including touch. Exploring with their hands allows your baby to experience textures and anticipate what eating will be like. Laying a 1.5m x 1.5m sheet of plastic under your baby’s high chair should alleviate concerns about your carpet. It’s normal for food to get spread into hair and over your baby’s face as they explore. Avoid scraping spoons across your baby’s sensitive lips, and leave wiping their face and hands with a soft cloth until the end.
• Aim to have your baby eating family meals from 12-18 months onwards. This is not only a lot easier than having separate meals, but it exposes your baby to a wider variety of food. Just ensure the texture is appropriate and rein-in the chili! Over time, progressing through the textures of meats helps build chewing skills and endurance for higher quality cuts of meat – nuggets need not be forever! This may mean eating a lot earlier in the evening than you may prefer. However, the benefits of your child accepting a wider variety of meals is usually worth the sacrifice. It may not always be possible for both parents to be home in time, but having at least one parent eating dinner with your child is likely to pay dividends in the long run. As your child grows and can last for longer until dinner time, the meal time can be gradually pushed out.
• Avoid becoming a short-order cook. Make only one dinner meal so that your child learns to like family meals via repeated exposures. Occasionally allow your child to ‘choose’ what a family meal will be from two nutritious options. They will feel they have some control over their diet, and you can serve the other option another night.
• Try to avoid bribing your child with sweets or desserts to get them to eat their main meal. This avoids them coveting ‘treat’ type food and feeling like they must endure the ‘yuck’ food in order to get it. Instead, explain that dessert may not feature every night, but if it does, they should consume a reasonable amount of their meal first. It is up to you to determine what a ‘reasonable’ amount is.
Everyone is different and the above tips may not guarantee you prevent picky eating ever emerging. As children start to realise they have a degree of power over their parents by eating or not eating, it’s important to ride out these power plays and stick to the rules you put in place. By having clear food and eating boundaries, parents can be a united front and hopefully prevent picky eating from taking hold. Capitulating means losing ground and, if sustained, you may never get your good eater back again!
If picky eating eventuates in spite of the above tips, you can seek further guidance from a paediatric Dietitian with experience in problem eating.
Reference:
Rapson, JP et al. Starting complementary feeding with vegetables-only increases vegetable acceptance at nine months: a randomised controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2022; 116(1): 111-121.
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/116/1/111/6604981?searchresult=1