Picky Little Eaters

Picky eating is a well-known stage of childhood. It can be hard for parents to navigate and may even leave you wondering if your child is getting enough of the nutrients his or her little body needs. Being savvy about the various nutrients found in different foods can help ease your mind during this finicky stage. One of the key nutrients that may be on your radar is vitamin D. One of the easiest ways to promote vitamin D synthesis is by exposing bare skin to sunlight, which removes the concern of not obtaining enough vitamin D from the diet. However, most parents are concerned about sun exposure, so this alternative may not be suitable for everyone.

Dietary sources of vitamin D include salmon, eggs, mushrooms, and dairy products (and/or substitutes fortified substitutes). An important mineral that parents may be concerned about is calcium. Gone are the days when people thought that dairy products were your main source of calcium. Leafy greens (e.g., kale), seafood, legumes, tofu, broccoli, almonds, and fruit (e.g., oranges) also contain substantial amounts of calcium. There are options for those little picky eaters. When you think of the best source of potassium, you probably default straight to bananas. But the truth is, bananas are really nothing to write home about when it comes to packing a potassium punch. Here are some other options: sweet potato, white potato, cherry tomatoes, cooked spinach, raisins, watermelon, beets, butternut squash, and yogurt. As far as allergies and your little ones are concerned milk, egg, nuts, soy, wheat, and fish seem to be the most common.

There are so many options for potential substitutions these days. If you are looking at it from a nutrient standpoint, then simply make sure your substitute has similar amounts of the target nutrient. You can always ask your naturopathic physician about potential substitutes. Another thing to think about with regard to picky eating is why your child may be refusing.

Some of the most common reasons a child may refuse certain foods are:

• Exercising independence

Try introducing a ‘polite one bite’ rule with the goal familiarizing children to new foods little by little

• It really does taste “yucky”

Continue to present, but not push the options and try preparing the same food in different ways

• Your child is just not hungry right now

Have your physician monitor your child’s growth rate and if that is on target your perception of how much a child should be eating may be a bit off

• Dinnertime attention span is short

Try serving your child meals in three phases to keep things interesting, as though you are having a meal of appetizers

• The food seems ‘boring’

Using terms like “x-ray vision carrots” or “snow-puffs” for cauliflower can help spice things up at meal time

There are many ways to get creative when is comes to your child’s nutrition, and it can be hard work. Try thinking about the struggle as a great way to build connections; ask other families what they are doing for their children, reach out to family members for advice, and, of course, ask your naturopathic physician any questions you may have.