First Foods: Please Picky Eaters Without Abandoning Good Nutrition

Good nutrition at a young age is crucial – it sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy eating. But all too often, as soon as kids start eating solid food, dinnertime becomes a battlefield. How can you ensure that your children are getting the right vitamins and nutrients when it seems like all they want to eat are chicken fingers?

According to a study of young eaters, one in five eat candy every day and the No. 1 "vegetable" for toddlers is French fries.* Childhood obesity is on the rise, and there are many dangers associated with eating too much junk food. Childhood obesity carries serious risks for diseases, and weight problems that begin in childhood often continue into adulthood. Obese children are at risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and early puberty.**

What Can a Parent do?
Toddlers are known for being extremely picky, and it can be difficult to get them to eat anything, let alone vegetables and other nutritious foods. If all they want to eat is junk food, parents should be vigilant in consistently providing a variety of healthy food options. By providing small quantities of many healthy choices, toddlers will usually pick and choose what they want from their plates. Babies need a large amount of food to keep up with their growth, but those caloric needs slow down around a child's first birthday. Toddlers need only about 1,000 calories per day. Offering small meals throughout the day, such as a few bites of salad, skinless chicken and whole-grain pasta can help support a toddler's activity level and provide necessary nutrients.

Try, Try Again
Familiarity is important to young children. It can often take as many as 10 introductions to a new food for a child to finally try it. It might seem easier to cave in and serve mashed potatoes every night when they turn up their noses at broccoli, but toddlers can learn to like vegetables. Try serving a few pieces of broccoli next to those mashed potatoes. Kids will sometimes eat things that are near or in their favorite foods. And make sure Mom and Dad eat their veggies too! Children will be more likely to eat certain foods if they see you enjoying them. Finally, avoid making deals or insisting that plates must be cleared. Teaching children that if they choke down some vegetables they get a sugary treat, or that they must clean their plate, even if they are no longer hungry, can create bad eating patterns for life.

A few simple strategies can turn even the pickiest eater into an adventurous one, and can help your child grow into a healthy adult. And you can look forward to a more peaceful family dinner!

If you are concerned about your child's eating habits, talk with your doctor.

Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Kids

How can you help ensure your child receives proper nutrition and fights off the risk of childhood obesity? The following are some guidelines for infants and toddlers from the American Heart Association:

• Keep fat intake between 25% and 30% of calories for children 2 to 3 years old.
• Don't go overboard on calories. Toddlers need about 1,000 calories per day to maintain a healthy weight.
• Serve whole grains instead of refined grain products. A 1-year-old should eat about 2 oz. of whole grains a day.
• Make sure fruits and vegetables are available at every meal. Children ages 1 to 3 should eat one cup of fruit a day and ¾ cup to three cups of vegetables.

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