FEEDING PRE-SCHOOLERS RIGHT: A BAKER’S DOZEN TIPS
1. Preschoolers have definite ideas about what they will and won’t eat. But you can stock your kitchen with “will eat”, kid friendly foods.
2. There are no set rules for getting these little blessings to eat. Each child is different. Relax, set a GOOD EXAMPLE and be adventurous yourself.
3. If Mom and/or Dad are picky eaters, guess what – the kids will be, too! And if you’re a junk food junkie, they will be, too.
4. PRESCHOOL QUIRKS OF EATING
“Food jags” – they want the same food day after day.
Don’t make a big deal about it. Food jags seldom last long and make little
difference in a child’s nutrition. The bigger the fuss, the longer a jag
is likely to last.
5. Serve the food your child wants along with other nutritious foods. Eventually,
he will try new foods.
6. NEW FOODS
Your palate is more sophisticated. Lighten up on the spices. Have them eat
a “no thank you”, very small portion if they fuss about what’s on their
plate.
7. Serve a mix of foods at every meal. Include a food or two your child likes and will eat.
8. It’s OK to let a child wait until the next meal or snack if he refuses to eat.
9. Kids love to eat foods they prepare. Involve them!
10. No time to prepare snacks? No worry, stop at the salad bar and produce section with the little one if possible and let him “help” choose healthy, ready to eat, snacks.
11. APPETITE UPS & DOWNS
These are normal. Provide nutritious foods and let your child choose. Children
will eat the amount of calories or energy that’s right for them.
12. Have three meals and two to three snacks daily. Preschoolers need to eat five or six times a day to meet nutritional needs. Now if your child doesn’t seem to want to eat this many times, again, that’s OK as long as they’re getting proper nutrition.
14. Serve a variety of foods from each food group daily: milk, meat/protein, fruits, vegetables and grains.
©2006-2010 Rita Heikenfeld and AboutEating.com
