Picky Eater
Q: My child is a picky eater and I’m worried that he’s not getting all of his nutrients. What nutrients should be a priority for him?
Affinity's medical expert is Dr. Kevin Gentile, a pediatrician with the Affinity Medical Group pediatric clinic in the Town of Menasha.
A: Young children need a variety of nutrients each day to maintain proper growth and development. These include protein, iron, calcium, fiber, magnesium and vitamin E, to name a few. A lot of foods have the vitamins and minerals that children need but the trick is getting your child to eat them. As a parent of three young children, preparing meals in our home that everyone will eat proves to be a challenge on an almost daily basis.
When solid foods are first introduced into an infant’s diet, it may take multiple experiences with a food before the child will become accustomed to it. Why? Infants are used to the consistency and taste that they find in breast milk or formula. When they are introduced to a different food, it may take multiple tries before the infant’s palate accepts it.
As infants grow, they also like to experiment with their food and participate in the feeding process. One way to keep your infant interested in eating is by offering age-appropriate foods or snacks that they can feed themselves, such as mashed banana chunks or cereal.
As children progress into the toddler years, they may develop more erratic eating patterns than their younger counterparts. They may want peanut butter one week and pizza or yogurt the next. In addition, many children may not be eating consistently at each meal. These patterns are normal as long as their food whims are nutritionally sound and they are maintaining appropriate growth over time. The key is to continue to offer multiple meals and snacks with a variety of nutritional foods.
Toddlers also tend to fill up on milk and juice, making meal time more of a challenge. For children between the ages of 1 and 5 years, 24 ounces of milk per day will provide the daily recommended calcium intake. Limiting juice intake to 4-6 ounces per day is also recommended given its high sugar content. If your toddler is still thirsty, he can drink unlimited water.
Also, be aware of portion size. A child’s stomach is approximately the size of his fist. Check to make sure your eating expectations are not too great. As a general rule, portion size should average one tablespoon per year of age.
Older children may use mealtime as an opportunity to get a reaction out of parents. I recommend that children have the same meals as everyone else at the table. If your child refuses to eat her dinner, don’t prepare any additional special options. Instituting a “new food” rule is one option. For example, have your child give a new food at least five bites before they say they don’t like it. More than likely the child will continue to eat the food after he has reached the five bite mark. If your child honestly doesn’t like a food, have him eat more of the other food options you are serving with the meal.
With a few modifications, your picky eater will embrace more foods and satisfy his nutritional needs.
