As toddlers become more independent and confident, they will want to start taking control of their own feeding. But let’s face it most toddlers are very picky eaters. As parents, we always worry about our children’s eating habits over time. During the toddler stage, I often worried if my kids were even eating enough. However, I had friends worrying if their toddlers were actually eating too much. So while we were worrying about different issues we both worried about making sure our kids was actually getting a wide variety of the different food that they need.
The truth is that if you do things right, you can set your toddler on a path to good healthy eating early. Thankfully when it comes to eating habits toddlers are just learning about food and developing habits. I decided early on that I was not going to force my children to eat something they hated! I use to hate when my parents use to do that to me. However, I wanted to make sure that they were still eating healthy options. So, we always tried a variety of foods. I found that when I would eat something first and in front of them they would be more incline to at least taste it.
Here are some feeding tips that helped me get through the toddler feeding stage:
Let them eat off your plate. My kids always wanted to eat off mine better than their own at first.
Let them have their own plate, bowl, and spoon during mealtimes
Start with finger foods that are easy to hold and chew on.
Make sure to have regular family mealtimes together, so your child will learn and see how everyone else is eating.
Many toddlers get frustrated sitting in a highchair for long periods, (I know my kids did) so why not try specially designed booster seats instead. They are useful because they allow your toddler to sit at the family table with everyone else.
Offer new foods a few times per week. I found that my kids loved colorful foods. However, my great niece prefers dull colors more lol.
Just remember that every child is different; so don’t worry if your child takes a longer than other kids when it comes to trying new foods.
Jammie says
Great tips! We always pulled the tray off our daughter’s high chair and pulled it right up to the table. This way we didn’t have to worry about her falling over. Plus we introduced her to all those yummy veggies when she was younger, and now she loves them all.
Jen Williams says
We did the same! My kids really wasn’t picky after they really tried something lol. My grandmother used to love feeding my kids LOL. Jada is picky now for some odd reason and she is 9!