Food and the Picky Toddler
A very wise woman once told me, “Your job as a parent is to provide nutritious, delicious food at appropriate times; your child’s job is to decide what and how much they need to eat.”
Humph. Clearly this wise woman mustn’t have a toddler running about her house turning his nose up at the delicious broccoli stir-fry that mama just spent precious time preparing. Obviously in her home there’s not a 2-year-old routinely taking fistfuls of fruit salad and gleefully chucking across the room. Nor does she have a young child who discernibly picks through a pile of emerald and topaz colored veggies to find and eat the white-cheese-and-starch-like items at every meal.
As tough as it may be for real-time moms to deal with the rejection from and imagined starvation/malnutrition of a picky toddler, the above mantra is full of wisdom and when taken on, can provide a sense of relief and confidence when feeding your toddler.
Studies show that picky eating is actually part of an important development stage where young kids are learning to make their own choices and listen to their bodies’ needs for sustenance and nutrients. This phenomenon is thought to date back to cave man times when humans foraged for food. Especially for young children, it was in their best interest to be discerning about what they put in their mouths… Perhaps it may be a bit of a consolation to know that cave-kids actually needed to be choosy in order to survive the next time little Mazie rolls pricey farmer’s market blueberries off her table.
The most reassuring bit of news is that provided with healthy food choices, over the average of a week “the toddler will eat what is needed to support his or her growth.” So stop worrying, mom, pass the peas, and try to ignore the ones that just flew past your ear.
A few tips for feeding your toddler:
- She can’t eat what’s not there. So empty your house of Cheese-Its, Pop Tarts, and other “favorites” that your toddler is substituting for real food. Choose whole, organic foods whenever possible.
- Be the change you want to see. Kids learn by example, so chances are if mom, dad, and sis are all eating well, your little eater will do the same.
- Try and Try again. Over time keep introducing foods that your child has turned down, and don’t get too attached to rejection. Sometimes after a few or many NO’s, green bean almondine may be a yum-yum-YES!
- Who cares? Even if your child’s food strike is eating you up inside, remember to stay detached: If NO receives a big reaction from you, she may refuse a food just for your lively response.
- When Spaghetti Sandwiches rule: If your child has recently been sick and does not want to eat anything but mashed potatoes and toast, please, cut the kid a break! Toddlers’ digestive systems are still developing, so a bout of cold, flu, or even teething may leave her with a funny tummy for much longer than you’d expect. Continue offering fruit, veggies, and meat with the comfort foods, and eventually she’ll bite.
- Get creative. Sometimes it’s not the asparagus spear itself that’s daunting, but the task of choosing and chewing foods don’t melt in your mouth as readily as a grilled cheese sandwich. Try simple ways of incorporating healthy foods into things like pancakes, muffins, and smoothies. Pureed veggies fold smoothly into scrambled eggs or rice to go down easily. There are several books out there with more suggestions for tricky kids’ recipes, but be sure find things the whole family will love. That way, when the zucchini cupcake remains on your toddler’s plate, someone else can enjoy it!
- Still concerned? If your child seems underweight or unwell, or you’re still worried she is not getting enough vitamins and minerals, speak to your health care provider to see if any dietary modifications or supplementation is appropriate for her.
Here’s one of my favorite veggie-disguising recipes… Veggie Cupcake. It has been modified from my mom’s banana bread recipe. (Thanks Mom!) It’s admittedly more like a muffin and definitely not a dark leafy green salad but just shows that healthy food can be everywhere… even dessert.
Carrot and Squash Cupcakes
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease large muffin pans with butter or a high heat safflower spray.
Cream:
½ c. butter or coconut oil
½ c. agave nectar (can substitute honey)
3/4 cup used unrefined, scented, all-natural coconut oil
Beat in: 2 eggs
Stir in:
1-2c tightly packed veggies (carrot, squash, zucchini)
1 tsp vanilla
2 T. almond milk (or your preference of milk)
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp allspice
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
½ c. nuts or raisins (optional)
Spoon batter into muffin pans. Bake in the center of the oven for about 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Be sure not to overcook these; take them out when they look almost done, and they will finish cooking while cooling from the residual heat.
Yields 9 large cupcakes or 20 standard cupcakes.