It doesn't have to be in the "form" of a sandwhich to get them nutrition!

Courtesy of "Funky Lunches"

these ideas can help children explore and experiment with trying new foods...
http://www.funkylunch.com/gallery.htm

Helping children to focus and eat better at the table

A mom shared this technique with me in order to help her child be more involved with the meal and to help them to eat better. She places the chopped foods into an empty ice cube tray. The child loves to pick the foods out of the compartments to eat them.

This can also work with the plastic plates that are divided into sections. Again referring to the CDC's website on milestones, children learn very early on to put things into containers and to take them out, this skill is fascinating to a 12 month-18 month old.

Turning down food politely

Scenario: You are a busy parent... you have just put time into preparing a meal or snack that has ended up being thrown on the floor, in your hair, and on your nerves. When is the best time to teach kids manners? When in their development are they ready to learn that this is not the best way to say that they don't want to eat the food or to even eat at all?
In a later post I will be talking about feeding cues, however in this post I wanted to mention the idea of teaching children to turn food down politely. This has really helped parents to be less frustrated at meal times.
At the end of 12 months a child has developed the ability to:

• Tests parental responses to his actions during feedings
• Tests parental responses to his behavior 
• Pays increasing attention to speech
• Responds to simple verbal requests
• Responds to “no”
• Uses simple gestures, such as shaking head for “no” 

By the end of 18 months:

• Says several single words (by 15 to 18 months)
• Uses simple phrases (by 18 to 24 months)
• Uses 2- to 4-word sentences
• Follows simple instructions

So you can start teaching them to say "please" and "no thank you".
When children are a little older, some parents use the "no thank you bite" so children learn early on that they are expected to try it in order to say no thank you to the rest of it.

How are other parents handling this? Please share what you have found works in teaching kids to turn food down politely or to communicate when they are through etc.

References to this posting:
CDC Learn the Signs Early  http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/index.html

"Picky" vs "Choosy" or even "Selective"

As I was visiting with a client about how their child was eating I noticed out of the corner of my eye the child listening to the mom and I talk about what a "picky eater" they were. The child seemed to be smiling and feeling "proud" that the mother was talking about him/her. "Hmmm", I thought to myself, "the children are loving this attention!"  Then I started noticing this with more and more families I work with. The children lived up to what they heard their moms talking about with others in order to get the mom's attention. "This makes mommy proud" is the impression I got.
So a year ago I started counseling families to instead use the word "choosy" instead of labeling their child as "picky". This can be more positive and when the child hears you say that he/she is "choosy"  they can grow into that expectation and moms are less frustrated. The child can then  be set up to choose this or that based on only 2 options presented to them at meals or snacks. They can practice "choosing" from healthy options and learn habits that will help them when faced with choices at school or away from home.

Welcome!

This blog has been something I have wanted to do for a year now. Many people have suggested that I create a handout with toddler meal and snack ideas, however wanting to "go green" I decided to offer this option instead. 

Readers can refer to the ideas when they need and not have a clutter of papers in the house!

As this gains momentum I would like to discuss fun, inexpensive, healthy meal ideas for toddlers, answer questions from a Registered Dietitian's scope of practice for Women, child and infant nutrition, explore resources for children with food allergies and offer support to families who want to really create positive health habits in their lives.

The posted resources will be cited if they are not my original thoughts so you can trust where you are getting your information from. 

I always appreciate feedback or suggestions and I look forward to discussing food and nutrition related items with you!