Tips for fussy eaters

Fussy eaters

Some toddlers go through long periods of being fussy about food, whereas others seem to simply have an occasional off day. Don’t worry if your toddler’s like this at the moment – it’s a perfectly normal phase. The tips for fussy eaters given in this article will help you to encourage your toddler to enjoy a wide, nutritionally balanced range of foods.

The average toddler’s likes and dislikes can be hard to keep up with. It’s quite normal to discover that their favourite food from yesterday has fallen out of favour today. But if your toddler is going through a fussy eating phase, mealtimes can become a real ordeal.

Around half of all toddlers develop fussy eating habits, and most toddlers have picky days. Although it’s quite normal and you’re not alone, dealing with a toddler who turns their nose up at anything and everything can make it hard to provide a varied, balanced diet. These tips may help you through the more trying times.

Tips to encourage fussy eaters

• Start by organising your toddler’s meal times around them; feed them when they’re hungry and soon you’ll see a natural pattern developing, which you can use as the basis of their ongoing routine
• Don’t rush your child. Let them eat at their own pace and don’t insist they clear their plate. Meal times should be relaxed and enjoyable, any extra pressure can reduce their appetite and cause fussiness
• If your toddler has refused a food once, simply reintroduce it again in a few days time. Don’t give up – some new foods need up to 15 tries before they’re accepted
• Your toddler’s eating environment should be calm to allow them to focus on their meal, which means no distractions such as the TV
• Begin with small, manageable portions so that you can praise them when they finish and only give more if they’re still hungry
• An aversion to vegetables is one of the most common food fads in toddlers. Try not to worry too much, you can still ensure they get their daily dose of goodness by including lots of their favourite fruits until they overcome their fussy habits
• If your toddler’s natural hunger pattern coincides with family mealtimes, eat together as a family as often as possible. Watching their loved ones enjoying their meal can show your toddler just how delicious food can be. Remember, this also works in reverse; if it’s obvious you don’t like a particular food, your toddler may develop the same dislike
• Give your toddler lots of praise when they finish their food. And talk positively about the food you’re both eating – saying ‘yum yum this apple is delicious!’ or ‘this spinach is great’ will show your toddler just how enjoyable food can be.

It might seem like your toddler’s tastes are changing by the day but the most important thing is to try to be patient. With perseverance, your toddler will overcome their fussy phase and learn to enjoy a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet.

In the meantime, you can make sure your toddler still gets some of the most important nutrients by giving them Aptamil Junior Growing Up milk. With prebiotics to support them on the inside, it will give them more iron than cows’ milk as well as added vitamin D and C to help keep their levels topped up until they move past their fussy stage.

Many Toddlers go through a fussy stage so the experienced mums on our nutrition experts team have plenty of advice to share. Call us on 800 64586262 (UAE), 800 897 1901 (KSA), 0097144209489 (Other countries) or via WhatsApp: +971557859608 between the hours of 9am and 6pm Saturday to Thursday.

My Toddler is Refusing Milk

As your toddler grows up and learns to assert their independence, it’s common for them to lose interest in their milk. Although up until now they’ve happily enjoyed the familiar taste of milk and the comfort it brings, it’s often the first thing to go once they learn the meaning of “no”, especially as they begin to realise there is a whole other world of tempting alternatives available.

Yet milk still plays a valuable nutritional role in your toddler’s diet. If they aren’t keen on drinking milk straight from their beaker, there are ways to make sure they get enough. For example, milk served with cereal or as part of a sauce still counts as towards their intake, and simple tricks like heating their milk will give them a nice bedtime treat. Read on to discover why milk is so important and get tips on ways to include milk in your toddler’s diet.

Your growing toddler may be eating three meals a day, but their milk is still important as it provides them with a lot of nutrients.

Giving them three dairy servings a day (120ml milk counts as one serving) divided into milk drinks, cereal, cooking and other dairy products will ensure they get many of the nutrients that are essential for keeping them healthy.

Getting milk into your toddler’s diet

Many toddlers go through a fussy-eating phase, especially when it comes to milk. Try these tips to encourage your toddler to enjoy more milk:

Start their day with a milky bowl of muesli or porridge Include warm milk in their bedtime routine; sit together and let your toddler enjoy their milk while you wind down with a cup of tea.

A new beaker or an exciting cup that’s used especially for milk will make it seem like more of a treat. If your toddler usually has cold milk, try warming it up or vice versa.

More than just milk

Aptamil kid Growing Up Milk is nutritionally superior to cows’ milk, and is suitable for children aged from 3-6 years. It contains our unique blend of Prebiotics. Just 300ml will provide your child with more than half of the iron they need each day, plus vitamins D and C which are essential for your child’s healthy development.

If you have any questions about your child’s diet, our nutrition experts are here to talk you through them. Give us a call on 800 64586262 (UAE), 800 897 1901 (KSA), 0097144209489 (Other countries) or via WhatsApp: +971557859608 between the hours of 9am and 6pm Saturday to Thursday.