Feeding Tips for Picky Toddlers

There are few things more frustrating than a picky eater. As a parent you worry about their nutrition, their health, and whether they’ll struggle socially as they get older due to their restrictive food preferences. But here’s good news:

You don’t have to worry.

This post is sponsored by the Washington State Beef Commission.

Here are some quick facts:

There’s no official medical definition of “picky eater.”
Half of parents say their child is picky, but according to one study only one in five was actually picky.
No consistent relationship between childhood picky eating and growth status has been established through research.
Most kids overcome picky eating; only about three percent of kids don’t, and this is usually due to hypersensitivities or underlying conditions.
Helping kids overcome picky eating is most successful when interventions begin before age 4.
“Interventions” don’t mean strict, demanding eating environments. Successful interventions are ones where the child has more control about whether to eat and where the eating environment is not filled with pressure to eat.

How to Handle Picky Eating in Toddlers and Preschoolers

So now that the pressure’s off of you and you know your child is likely to remain healthy and outgrow their pickiness, let’s talk about some feeding strategies for your toddler so you can tackle picky eating before that critical age of four and shorten this difficult phase.

Follow Ellyn Satter’s Division of Responsibility in Feeding: Parents are responsible for the what, when, and where of feeding. The child is responsible for whether and how much to eat. No bribing, no cajoling, and no giving in to demands for alternate foods and foods at non-mealtimes. This removes the emotional pressure to eat, resulting in a healthier feeding environment for the child which is research-proven (cited above) to help resolve picky eating.

Feed a Variety of Nutrient-Dense Foods: If your child is only consuming a small amount of foods, offer foods that give them the biggest bang for their nutritional buck. Beef is one of the most nutrient-dense foods available and provides much-needed (and filling) protein along with iron, zinc, and choline, all of which are critical for developing brains and bodies. When you know the foods your child is eating are offering them good nutrition, you’ll be more at ease and less likely to focus as much on what they aren’t eating. This will prevent you from inadvertently putting pressure on your child to eat, which actually has the opposite effect and makes them resist more.

Deconstruct Your Meals: The strategies that result in the most improvement for picky eating are giving your toddler control and choice. If your toddler turns up their nose at your stew, soup, or casserole, give them a deconstructed version of all the same components, but separated. Shred or chop chunks of beef from your pot roast and serve it along with potatoes, carrots, and bread all separated on a plate. When you have tacos, give them a plate with separate piles of the seasoned ground beef, chips, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, guacamole, and sour cream. This gives your toddler a visual choice of several different foods and offers them control over what they choose to eat while still allowing them to enjoy the same flavors as the rest of the family.

Get Creative: Make food fun! Instead of serving meatballs and pasta with sauce, serve it on the side for dipping! Cut meatballs into smaller fork-bite pieces so your little one can show off (or practice) their utensil skills, or (if age appropriate depending on your little one’s skills and development) serve them with toothpicks so they can dip their little skewers into the sauce. Even if your little one is picky, resist the urge to make them a separate “kid-friendly” meal. Get creative and make your family’s regular meal kid-friendly instead! This will get your child used to your family’s favorite flavors in a way that satisfies their needs for choice and control, and will help them accept unmodified versions as they grow.

Be Aware of Barriers: Lots of picky kids are meat-averse, and if you think about it, it makes sense. Think about the last time you took a bite of steak that was too big; it was too chewy in your mouth, difficult to swallow, and not nearly as enjoyable as an appropriately-sized bite. When serving beef to your toddler, smaller chunks are better. Tender or slow-roasted cuts are easier for their little mouths to chew. And ground beef is super easy to eat. Don’t mistake your child’s difficulty in eating it as total rejection. Just make sure you are serving it appropriately so your toddler can get the nutrition they need!

Read through our additional resources below, and as always, if you have questions about starting solid foods consult your physician or health care provider first.