| Feeding Challenges. . . |
Feeding Strategies. . . |
| Food Jags: Eats one and only one food, meal after meal |
Allow the child to eat what he or she wants if the "jag" food is wholesome.
Offer other foods at each meal. After a few days, the child likely will
try other foods. Don't remove the "jag" food, but offer it as long as
the child wants it. Food jags rarely last long enough to cause any harm. |
| Food Strikes: Refuses to eat what's served, which can lead to
"short-order cook syndrome" |
Have bread, rolls or fruit available at each meal, so there are usually
choices that the child likes. Be supportive, set limits and don't be afraid
to let the child go hungry if he or she won't eat what is served. Which
is worse, an occasional missed meal or a parent who is a perpetual short-order
cook? |
| "The TV Habit": Wants to watch TV at mealtime |
Turn off the television. Mealtime TV is a distraction that prevents
family interaction and interferes with a child's eating. Value the time
spent together while eating. Often it is the only time during the day
that families can be together. An occasional meal with TV that the whole
family can enjoy is fine. |
| The Complainer: Whines or complains about the food served |
First ask the child to eat other foods offered at the meal. If the child
cannot behave properly, have the child go to his or her room or sit quietly
away from the table until the meal is finished. Don't let him or her take
food along, return for dessert or eat until the next planned meal or snack
time. |
| "The Great American White Food Diet": Eats only white bread,
potatoes, macaroni and milk |
Avoid pressuring the child to eat other foods. Giving more attention
to finicky eating habits only reinforces a child's demands to limit foods.
Continue to offer a variety of food-group foods. Encourage a taste of
red, orange or green foods. Eventually the child will move on to other
foods. |
| Fear of New Foods: Refuses to try new foods |
Continue to introduce and reinforce new foods over time. It may take
many tries before a child is ready to taste a new food. . . and a lot
of tastes before a child likes it. Don't force children to try new foods. |
For the
latest information from the US Department of Agriculture about making healthy
food choices and keeping physically active, visit their Web site at http://www.mypyramid.gov
to learn about MyPyramid.
Nutrition