Trying different foods
4 answers /
Last post: 03/06/2022 at 9:29 am
Hi Everyone 👋🏼
I was hoping to get some advice regarding your toddlers and trying them with different foods. My little boys is almost 16 months and I am struggling at the moment to get him to try different foods, also thinking of different things to try him with too! I don’t know wether it’s a texture thing with some foods or that he just doesn’t like the look of them but meal times are becoming a struggle and I feel as though I am cooking a few different things before he will settle on one. It’s exhausting. I’m hoping this is just a phase he is going through at the moment but any advice or your own stories are appreciated xx
Hi Melissa
We've moved your thread into our drop-in clinic - baby and child health, so you can get the advice and support you need.
Hello Melissa
Weaning can be great fun and some children take to this new adventure much more willingly than others. It can feel like a lot of effort when you loving prepare a meal only to have your toddler look away. I do understand.
Learning about food is all about taste, texture, smells, what it looks like and its consistency etc. For some children they are far more cautious than others, but they are all still learning in their own way.
The way to support you child through this learning process is to keep offering them foods that they are reluctant to try, as this will help them build their confidence and at some point will perhaps pop some in their mouth!
We have some links here which I am hoping may help. The first one talks about fussy eaters, which I am not at all suggesting your LO is :) However the ideas that are suggested could be used to support you toddler in their food learning journey.
https://www.netmums.com/child/how-to-deal-with-a-fussy-eater
This link gives you some easy recipes to try:
https://www.netmums.com/recipes/category/baby-weaning-recipes
It may help to take some of the pressure off you if you cook a batch of them and use the freezer to store them so you can offer your toddler variety, but you do feel that this is wasted effort at the mealtimes when none is eaten.
Finally this link suggests ways to make mealtimes happy times and you may find this also helps raise your LO's mood and encourage them to eat by perhaps trying something new?
https://www.netmums.com/child/tips-for-happy-mealtimes
I am sure other parents will come to chat with you soon as this is certainly quite common toddler behaviour!
Best wishes
Tracey HV
My son went through a very very fussy period around the same age. It lasted forever! My advice to you would be to try and relax. If you’re tense then he’ll pick up on it and feel the same way. Don’t make anything different for him and don’t pressure him. Simply make the dinner the whole family is having and sit and eat as a family without trying to convince him to try anything. If you’re worried he’s going to be hungry because he’s not eaten anything then make a light supper later on, like toast and fruit. But leave it long enough so that he doesn’t think he can just refuse any meal and you’ll immediately make him something different. My son is now 4 and pretty much eats anything but it was a long journey to get here. So have faith, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Keep offering things even when they’ve been refused, sometimes they need to see something a few times before they’ll even touch it. Then they might need to touch it a few times before they’ll try eating it. Then they might need to try eating it a lot of times before they decide they like it. You’ll need patience.