Is your child a finicky eater?

Breakfast is critically important to your child having a successful morning both physically and mentally. While some children are hungry until they have been awake for a few hours, you need to be creative and encourage your child to eat something. If necessary, pack  piece of  ”fruit to go” and let your child eat during the ride to school.

Here are some tips on how to feed a finicky eater:

As long as your child  is healthy and is of normal height, relax your attitude toward food. The more you worry and scold, the more battleground food will be.

Serve smaller portions. Your child’s stomach is about the size of a clenched fist — smaller than you ever thought. If you serve meals on smaller plates and include just a small amount of each food, the meal won’t appear so intimidating to your child.

If your child refuses to eat vegetables, increase the amount and types of fruits your child eats to balance the lack of nutrients from the vegetables. You can “sneak” other vegetables into other foods too. Finely grated or choppes vegetables can be hidden addition to many foods like meat loaf or spaghetti sauces.

Many children will eat junk food it’s available to them. Make junk food less accessible. Keep only a minimum amount of treat on hand. Habit is a powerful force. Children tend to have favorite foods that they eat over and over. Try to replace old favorites with a similar but healthier choice.

Encourage your child to be mor active.  Bored kids who aren’t staying busy may fill their time by eating. Replace old habits, such as munching infront of the TV, with a more productive activity.