4 TIPS FOR MANAGING A TODDLER WHO REFUSES TO EAT

Your toddler used to happily devour their baby food, but suddenly mealtime has become a nightmare: they make a mess, grumble, spit out their food, and refuse to eat what you offer them. Here are some tips and tricks from moms to help you get through this period:

1-Distract your baby during mealtime

Your child wants to explore the world, and mealtime probably seems long and uninteresting to them. Try to make this moment more exciting 😊. You can, of course, use the famous airplane (spoon) that lands in the garage (mouth). You can tell them a story or make them laugh. However, avoid distracting them with a screen during meals.

2-Give your baby their own spoon to play with

If your child wants to eat alone but is not yet able to do so completely, offer them a spoon or fork to satisfy their desire for independence and allow them to practice eating on their own. Meanwhile, you can continue to feed them as usual. However, keep in mind that if you give them cutlery, they will probably want to use it at every meal.

3-Adjust what’s in their plate

Your child may suddenly refuse to eat pureed food, especially if they have older siblings. In this case, let go and try to adapt what you are offering them to eat. If your child prefers to eat small pieces, even if they don’t have all their teeth yet, prepare small pieces of food that they can suck and spit out. You can offer them well-cooked vegetables in small pieces such as carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and eggplant. You can also thicken purees by adding couscous or polenta. Keep in mind that every child is unique, so try different things to find what works best for your child.

4-Minimize the mess

It’s hard to avoid children from making a mess with their food, so adapt to the situation and try to minimize the damages. To make cleaning up easier, use an apron to avoid getting their clothes dirty, a bib with a reservoir to catch small pieces of food, and a tablecloth under your child’s seat to protect the floor.

In summary, be patient, creative, and adapt to your child’s food preferences. Over time, most children regain their appetite and enjoyment of eating.