how to survive a fussy toddler…

 

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When I mention to anyone that I am a chef the first thing they generally say is "wow- your children are so lucky. I bet they eat everything!". My answer is a definite "no". Feeding my daughters is, at times, just as mindblowingly frustrating as for any parent. My eldest daughter pretty much ate everything and anything until she was one and then the fussiness set in. Since then she's gone through a variety of ‘phases’ and I’ve managed to coax her gently out of some whilst others are works in progress (or currently on the back burner.) Now I know that the eating habits of children can sometimes seem completely illogical to the adult mind which makes it even more frustrating so I thought I’d share my basic ethos towards feeding my toddler (and my one year old) that creates an open platform for them to try, experience and explore food and for me to keep my sanity. 

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1- eat the rainbow - it sounds obvious but just by stocking your fridge and store-cupboards with a variety of fruits and vegetables you will be exposing your children to those foods and helping shape their understanding of good food forever. If you shop and eat healthy food then thats what they will end up eating. Most of the time.

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2- trash the junk - don’t buy ready made snacks because if the option is there kids will always opt for that packet of crisps over some fruit or vegetables. Believe me. Once the snacks are no longer in your cupboard your children will quickly start to move onto something else (plus it makes the battle easier for you if there really isn’t an option of giving in!). Keep ready made snacks for travelling/ birthdays/ parties/ etc. 

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3- prepare and eat together - families always used to congregate in the kitchen and this allowed cooking skills and the appreciation of food to pass on through generations. One of the sadnesses of the  modern world is the lack of time we have to stop and enjoy cooking and eating together. It really is so important to take the time, so, try to... at least once or twice a week prepare and eat food together- even if its just making a sandwich or pancakes at the weekend. Let your children smell it, taste it, stir it, see how it transforms. Its quite a magical process mixing ingredients up and seeing what you have made from them. Don’t underestimate what they learn from touching food and feeling its texture- even if they don’t eat it.  

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4- empower them- show enthusiasm and provide your children with healthy food and leave them to make the choices. Children are inherently stubborn so don’t tell them what to eat or how- if you leave them to it you will be surprised at the outcome. Some days they will eat what you give them, others they won’t but they will have been exposed to the food, potentially have tried it but most importantly they will feel like it was them making the choice when really it was completely in your control.

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5- cook simple family meals- there is nothing as insanely annoying as when you have to chuck food away that you’ve been slaving away at so if you have picky eaters keep recipes simple and make things that you like too so that you can just have the leftovers if the kids don’t eat it. Give them a small portion along with a couple of small things you know they like and leave them to it [I often give my daughters a small bit of bread and crudities on the side]. If they don't want to eat it- thats fine- they can eat the things you know they like and thats it. DO NOT COOK ANOTHER MEAL FOR THEM.

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6- don’t beat yourself up - most of us were at some point ‘fussy’ or ‘picky’ and thats ok. Everyone has preferences and likes and dislikes to varying degrees. Your child’s eating habits will largely be down to both mindset and personality and not a reflection on your parenting or cooking ability so you just need a few tools to make life a little easier for those tough days. I hope these are those. And remember that this is just the first chapter of your child's relationship with food and they have a lifetime to grow to love all the wonderful ingredients in the world- you just need to help them start in the right direction. 

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Check out the blog next week when I'll be posting some super quick fussy toddler-friendly recipes but in the meantime - stay strong [and message @ieatmypeaswith any questions].