18-36 Months: Eating with the Family – What you can Expect

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Your child will now be a confident eater,
and will be able to manage almost everything she’s offered, although
she will probably start to exert her authority and have very specific likes and dislikes! She’ll enjoy being a part of family mealtimes



Q:
My toddler has become increasingly fussy and will eat only certain foods; is there a reason for this?
A:
Rest assured that this is a normal stage in your toddler’s
development. Almost all toddlers go through a stage of becoming a little
obsessive about their lives, demanding to wear certain clothing,
drinking only from a specific cup, or eating just a few chosen foods.

In some ways,
toddlerhood is a mini-adolescence, when children assert themselves and
their independence in no small measure. Unfortunately, this often
extends to their choice of food, which is clearly an emotive issue with
parents and carers, and bound to get a good response.

The simplest and best
way to deal with this is to ignore food fads and “statements.” Continue
to offer the same food you always have, and new foods too, and remove
what he doesn’t eat without comment. When he realizes that his efforts
to rebel aren’t getting any response, he’s likely to give in and resume
his normal eating patterns.

Q:
How big is a toddler-sized serving?
A:
Hold out her hand and place a few grapes in it. Can she fit three
or four? That’s roughly a portion, and you can use this calculation for
all fruits and vegetables. A toddler-sized portion of protein (red
meat, chicken, etc.) is the size of her palm, and a fish portion is the
size of her hand. Obviously, some foods are eaten in bigger quantities
(breakfast cereal, pasta, rice, and yogurt spring to mind), so don’t
become too concerned about portion sizes. As long as she has at least
five “handfuls” of fruits and vegetables a day, and several servings of
healthy carbohydrates and protein, you’re doing well.

Q:
How can I encourage my child to eat a varied diet?
A:
The key is to sit down as a family as often as possible and eat a
varied diet together. If everyone is eating what’s offered, your child
is more likely to do so, too.

Furthermore, it’s
important to continue to offer new foods over and over again, until they
become familiar. Mix new foods with old favorites—try adding broccoli
florets to macaroni and cheese, or new vegetables such as snow peas and
corn to stir-fries.

If he rejects
foods continually, try different recipes to make the foods more
appealing. Adding new foods to old favorites is a good trick; try adding
mushrooms or sweet peppers to homemade pizza. Hiding food may seem like
an odd option, but it can get little ones accustomed to unfamiliar
flavors and textures. Children love my Hidden vegetable tomato sauce, and have no idea they’re eating vegetables!

Sitting at the table

It’s important to
include your little one in family meals. She may be able to sit on a
family chair with a booster seat, although it will probably take a few
weeks to encourage her to stay put! Otherwise, many high chairs have
removable trays so they can be pushed up to the table.