Dealing with kids can be very frustrating at times, especially when you want to feed them healthy food and they run away from it. Fussy eaters are a little hard to deal with. After 6 months of age, solids become an essential part of a baby’s diet as they require more nutrients and minerals for proper growth and nourishment. Our expert, Dr. Vijayanand Jamalpuri, Consultant Neonatologist, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Hyderabad, says, “The mealtime has to be a happy time for the kid. The commonest reason for a kid being a fussy eater is forced feeding. You may be feeding the kid even if he/she is not hungry. This can be because there needs to be a balance between the milk and solids being fed to the baby”.
Here are some of the tips as suggested by Dr. Vijayanand which will help you tackle them.
The balance between milk and solid food
Gradually lessen the amount of milk being given to the baby after 6 months of birth and slowly start giving them solids and increase the quantity as they grow. The maximum intake of milk after 1 year of age, as recommended by our expert, is 400ml in 24hrs.
Involve them in the preparation process
Involving kids in the process of what they are going to eat can be very interesting for them.
- 6-12 months: Tell them what you are preparing for them and talk to them about it as you ready the meal.
- 12 months and older: Once they are old enough to walk around, you can ask them to grab your vegetables/fruits and show from a distance what is cooking. You can also ask them to choose a vegetable for the meal.
Dr. Jamalpuri also gives us a few points to ponder and act upon:
- Variety in food
During the weaning process (where the baby is introduced to solid foods), bring in as many varieties of fruits and vegetables as possible. These kids tend to eat more of them as they grow along. Also, the consistency of the food needs to be changed gradually between 6-12 months. If you are a non-vegetarian, introduce them to meat, chicken, and eggs between 9-12 months and make the food appealing to them. - Minimize distractions
Parents these days simply turn on the TV or hand their kid's smartphones or tablets during the mealtime. It should be avoided at all costs. Such distractions do not allow the kids to engage with the food. As the kids grow old, let them touch the food, play with it, and eat it themselves. - Limit mealtime
Longer meal times can become very frustrating for the kids. Ensure that the mealtime doesn’t last longer than 30-40 mins. Also, at least their one meal of the day should be along with other family members. - No sugar or carbs
Restrict the foods which are loaded with sugar and carbs like cookies, chocolates, chips, etc. No chocolates up to 4 years of age. However, once in a while they can ‘earn it’. Introduce them to healthy snacks.
“If you force-feed a child between 6-18 months, they are likely to become a fussy eater, the extreme stage of which is known as Food Aversion Syndrome” he adds. Therefore, it is important to inculcate healthy eating habits since the very beginning, before your child becomes very picky.
