Fussy eaters

Feeding fussy eaters

As toddlers discover a growing independence, many mums find it’s perfectly normal for their little ones to suddenly be too ‘busy' to eat, to eat only a limited range of foods, to be deeply suspicious of foods they haven't eaten before or - even more frustratingly - reject foods they always enjoyed before!

Helen offers advice on coping with fussy eaters in her video below.

Keep calm

The key thing is to try to relax and not worry. Just do the best you can to give your toddler a balanced diet and keep offering a variety of good things to eat. It’s not their daily intake that matters so much; rather what they eat over the course of a week. Most toddlers eventually grow out of any faddy stage - particularly if they see others enjoying different foods - so just keep persevering. They’ll usually come round in the end.

Eat together

Most toddlers enjoy joining in with family mealtimes where possible and this is often a good way of getting them to try different foods - if mum or dad, a brother or sister, or another child is eating something, they may be more likely to eat it too – especially if they see you enjoying it!

Top tips for fussy eaters

• Toddlers may need to see and try new foods ten or more times before they get used to them – it can just take a bit of time
• If your little one won't eat something, just take the food away without drawing attention to it – keep mealtimes running smoothly
• Give lots of attention when your toddler is eating – rather than when they are not eating
• If your toddler won't even try a food, they may do so next time if they see others are eating it
• Try not to bribe, coax or force your toddler to eat
• Avoid using sweet foods or treats as a reward for eating something
• Remember, it’s extremely rare for children to starve themselves!

The reluctant vegetable eater

Sometimes toddlers can turn against vegetables. The baby who happily wolfed down broccoli often turns into the toddler who allows nothing green to pass their lips! Here are some handy hints on getting that ‘five-a-day' into your little one:

• Make casseroles or meals with lots of ‘hidden’ vegetables in
• Try getting your little one to ‘help' make a meal - they may be more likely to eat the vegetables in it
• If your toddler likes mashed potato, try adding in mashed carrot, swede or parsnip
• If tomato sauces for pasta are popular with your little one, you can add finely chopped vegetables to the sauce, or try recipes that are tomato-based, such as ratatouille
• Top up a homemade pizza with extra vegetables such as red peppers
• Many children prefer their vegetables raw, e.g. carrots, mushrooms
• Corn on the cob is fun to eat
• Mix some fruit into their yogurt
• There are lots of vegetables and fruits in the HiPP Organic recipes (and of course they're organic too)

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