Last Reviewed: April 2011

Nutrition

Picky eaters

Healthy young children:

May be fussy about their eating
May not want to try new foods
Often seem very hungry at one meal and not at the next
Might eat a large amount one day and much less another day
Have favourite and not-so-favourite foods

All this is normal.

So what is a picky eater?
Why are some children picky eaters?
How can I help?
Family mealtimes
Your job
Your child’s job
How can I tell if my child is full?
Menu planning tips
Help your child feel good about herself
Beverages and snacks
Cooking Up Some Fun! Cookbook

So what is a picky eater?

A picky eater:

Only wants to eat her favourite foods - all the time.
Gets upset when a new food is introduced.
Cries or gets fussy at the table.
Worries when she has to eat away from home.

Why are some children picky eaters?

Some children may be fussier about eating and other things like:

Not falling asleep easily
Disliking changes in their routine
Having trouble adjusting to new situations or new people

Some children become picky eaters because of past experiences with feeding, such as:

Frequent vomiting
Colic
Their parents pressuring them or using games to make them eat.

Some children learn to be picky eaters when their parents are picky about their own food.
Some children seem fussy from birth and they may be naturally sensitive to taste, smell and whether a food is soft or hard.
A food that tastes mild to an adult may have a very strong taste to a small child.

How can I help?

Eat well and feel good about yourself.
Kids learn by watching and listening to their parents and caregivers, so set a good example.
Let your child see that you enjoy eating and are comfortable with your body.
Show your child that you enjoy mealtimes together and like to try new foods.

Family mealtimes

Eat at home together as a family more often.
Get your child to help prepare the meal (e.g. putting napkins on the table) because children who help prepare a meal are more likely to eat it.
Enjoy pleasant mealtime conversation.

You and your child each have a job to do!

Your job:

Plan the menu
Decide where your child will eat
Decide when meals and snacks will be offered
Make meal times enjoyable

When parents do their job, it's easier for children to develop healthy eating habits.

Your child's job:

Decide how much she will eat
Decide if she will eat
Feed herself – with help at first

Children are born knowing when they are hungry and when they are full. Trust your child.

How can I tell if my child is full?
Your child may tell you she is full by using words or actions, such as

Pushing your hand or the spoon away if you try to offer her a bite
Throwing food or playing with it

Children eat better when there is no pressure from parents. Sometimes they don’t want to eat at all. Don't worry if your child misses a meal, she can make up for it next time.

Help your child feel good about herself.
Children feel good about themselves when:

They are in control of their eating
They feel respected
Their parents listen to them
Their parents respect their choice to eat more or less

Problems start when parents use a 'control' style of parenting to make their child eat.

Menu planning tips

Offer a variety of foods from Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide (553KB, 5 pages)
Canada’s Food Guide is meant for children 2 years of age and older, but can be used as a reference for children ages 1 - 2.
Serve small portions.
When you are offering a new food, make sure there is at least one healthy food on the table that your child usually likes to eat.
Provide meals and snacks at regular times each day.
Plan at least three meals and at least two snacks per day.

Beverages and snacks

Schedule snacks between meals so your child is hungry for the next meal.
Don’t allow your child to go to the refrigerator and kitchen cupboards for food whenever she wants (‘grazing’).
Children who eat and drink all day long may not be hungry at meal or snack time.
Avoid giving milk, juice and other liquids and foods between snacks and meals.
If your child is thirsty, offer water from a cup.
If you decide to offer your child juice, limit it to 1/2 to 3/4 cup (125 to 175 mL) of 100% juice per day, offered in a cup.

Check out the Cooking Up Some Fun! Cookbook

When it comes to feeding your children, your goal as a parent is to raise healthy kids who enjoy eating.

Children love being in the kitchen with you and working with food. Let them help you prepare for mealtimes.

When children are young, find tasks that are easy and safe for them (such as putting paper napkins on the table). As children get older, they can become more and more helpful.
The Cooking Up Some Fun (1.69 MB, 30 pages) cookbook will provide you with recipes you and your child can prepare together.

To speak with a public health nurse, call:

Region of Peel - Public Health
905-799-7700
Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.