Mealtimes with your baby or toddler are not always the smooth and joyful experience you envisioned. From throwing food on the floor to refusing to touch anything green, picky eating is a common phase that many babies and toddlers go through. While this stage can be challenging, the good news is that it’s normal and often temporary. With patience, creativity, and a few strategies, you can guide your little one through picky eating and foster a positive relationship with food.
Why Do Babies and Toddlers Become Picky Eaters?
Picky eating can begin as early as 8–12 months when your baby starts exploring more solid foods. By toddlerhood, their independence and desire for control may cause them to refuse foods they once happily ate. There are several reasons why picky eating happens:
Developmental Changes: As babies grow, their taste preferences and appetites fluctuate. Around 18 months, many toddlers become more cautious of new foods, a behavior known as neophobia (fear of new things).
Seeking Control: Toddlers are learning to assert their independence, and one way they do this is by choosing what they will—or won’t—eat.
Sensory Sensitivity: Some babies and toddlers may be more sensitive to the textures, smells, or colors of certain foods, which can influence what they are willing to try.
Natural Appetite Shifts: Growth spurts can cause your child’s appetite to vary, leading to days when they seem to eat a lot and other days when they’re hardly interested in food.
How to Handle Picky Eating: 8 Tips for Success
Picky eating can be frustrating, but it’s important to stay calm and patient. Here are some strategies to help you navigate this stage:
1. Offer a Variety of Foods Regularly
Expose your baby or toddler to a wide variety of foods, flavors, and textures from an early age. Even if they reject a food the first time, continue offering it without pressure. Research shows that it can take 10–15 exposures for a child to accept a new food, so don’t give up if they refuse broccoli the first few times.
2. Create a Positive Mealtime Environment
Make mealtimes relaxed and enjoyable, without turning them into a power struggle. Avoid pressuring your child to eat, as this can create negative associations with food. Instead, offer a variety of healthy options and let them decide what and how much to eat from what’s on their plate.
3. Lead by Example
Children often mimic the behavior of their parents, so try to model healthy eating habits yourself. Eat a variety of foods, including the ones you want your child to try. When they see you enjoying vegetables, fruits, and other nutritious foods, they’re more likely to follow suit.
4. Respect Your Child’s Appetite
It’s normal for babies and toddlers to have varying appetites. Some days they may eat more, and other days they may eat very little. Trust that your child’s body knows what it needs. Avoid forcing them to finish their plate, as this can lead to unhealthy eating habits in the long run.
5. Make Food Fun
Sometimes presentation can make all the difference. Cut fruits and vegetables into fun shapes, arrange food into colorful patterns on the plate, or create a “rainbow plate” with different colored foods. Getting creative can make mealtime more engaging for your child and encourage them to try new things.
6. Offer Healthy Dips and Sauces
Some picky eaters enjoy dipping their food. Offer healthy options like hummus, yogurt, guacamole, or apple sauce for dipping fruits, vegetables, or other finger foods. This can make trying new foods more appealing and fun for your toddler.
7. Limit Distractions During Meals
Turn off the TV, put away toys, and create a calm environment during mealtime. Fewer distractions help your child focus on the food in front of them. Engage them in the process by talking about the different foods and encouraging them to explore new tastes and textures.
8. Involve Your Child in Food Preparation
Toddlers love to help, and involving them in food preparation can increase their interest in what they’re eating. Let them wash fruits and vegetables, stir ingredients, or choose which veggie to have with dinner. When they feel a sense of ownership over the meal, they may be more excited to try it.
Avoid These Common Pitfalls
While trying to encourage your child to eat a variety of foods, it’s important to avoid certain habits that can reinforce picky eating:
Don’t use food as a reward or punishment. Offering dessert as a reward for finishing vegetables, or withholding a treat for not eating, can make certain foods seem more desirable while reinforcing the idea that other foods are undesirable.
Avoid becoming a short-order cook. If your child refuses dinner, resist the temptation to make them a different meal. This teaches them that they can hold out for preferred foods and may limit their willingness to try new things. Instead, offer at least one familiar food at each meal so there’s always something they’ll likely eat.
Don’t give in to tantrums over food. Toddlers may use food refusals as a way to assert control. Stay calm and avoid giving in to demands for alternative meals or snacks outside of regular mealtimes.
When Should You Be Concerned About Picky Eating?
Picky eating is a normal phase, but in rare cases, it can become a cause for concern. If your child is constantly refusing entire food groups (like all vegetables or proteins), losing weight, or showing signs of nutritional deficiencies (such as fatigue, pale skin, or developmental delays), consult your pediatrician. They can help rule out underlying health issues and offer advice on ensuring your child is getting the nutrients they need.
Encouraging a Positive Relationship with Food
Remember that your ultimate goal is to help your baby or toddler develop a healthy and positive relationship with food. Picky eating is often a phase that resolves with time, especially if you stay patient and supportive. The key is to create a pressure-free environment where your child can explore new foods at their own pace.
Here are some additional tips for fostering a lifelong love of healthy foods:
Celebrate small victories. If your child tries a new food or even puts it in their mouth before spitting it out, celebrate their willingness to explore. Small steps add up over time.
Respect their preferences. While you want to encourage variety, it’s okay to honor your child’s preferences within reason. If they genuinely dislike a certain food, don’t force it, but continue offering similar foods in different forms (e.g., cooked carrots instead of raw).
Stay consistent. Keep offering a variety of healthy foods, even if they are rejected. Your persistence will pay off as your child’s tastes evolve and they become more comfortable with different flavors and textures.
Picky Eating Is Often Temporary
Handling picky eating in babies and toddlers requires patience, creativity, and a bit of strategy. By staying calm, offering a variety of foods, and creating a positive mealtime environment, you can help your child develop a healthy relationship with food. Remember that picky eating is usually a temporary phase, and with time and persistence, your little one will likely become more open to trying new foods.
Mealtimes don’t have to be a battle. With these tips in hand, you can approach picky eating with confidence, turning the experience into an opportunity for your baby or toddler to explore and enjoy the world of food. Happy eating!