Win an Organix hamper or £50 Love2Shop voucher! Join Q&A on children's eating habits and fussy eaters - ANSWERS BACK

[LucilleMumsnet]

This week we are running a Q&A with Organix who are offering you the chance to ask feeding expert Lucy Thomas about children's eating habits and how to help fussy eaters.

Inspiring fussy eaters to enjoy fruit and vegetables is Lucy's passion. As founder and author of 'Mange Tout', her methods have been recommended by doctors, nutritionists and Great Ormond Street hospital. Lucy has also featured on BBC TV and Radio and is a spokesperson for the Taste for Life campaign, brought to you by Organix.

Post your questions to Lucy before 9am Monday 20th January and we'll send over a selection to which she will provide answers to help you better deal with fussy or unusual eating habits. There is a £50 Organix hamper and a £50 Love2Shop voucher up for grabs for those that post questions. We will post up Lucy's answers on Thursday 30th January.

@janekirk

What would you replace sugary foods with when your child has developed a very sweet tooth?

If your child enjoys fruit or dried fruit I would always offer this as a simple healthy alternative, however if this is really not going to hit the spot then home baking is the way forward, where you can make something nutritious and sweet without needing to use unnecessary amounts of sugar.

One of my favourite treats is a homemade cookie using dried fruit, nuts and apple juice – using a food processor blend 200g mixed nuts to bread crumb texture, add 150g Dates and Raisins and process. Add 5 tbsp apple juice to create a dough, roll into balls flatten and bake at 180degrees for 12mins turning half way.

Sweet treats like homemade banana muffins or flapjacks can be made using less sugar or an alternative like Honey or Agave. I would not recommend using any artificial sweetners though.

As snacks try offering oat or rice cakes topped with a nut butter or mashed banana and some honey or agave on top, this would then provide a good nutritious snack with hopefully enough sweetness to satisfy.

Alternatively a small piece of wholegrain bread with some fruit spread or jam on (there are many on the market that only use fruit and grape juice to sweeten them)

Chips made from sweet potato, parsnip or squash contain natural sugars and have the added benefits of Vitamin C and D plus they contain magnesium which is essential for healthy blood, bone, heart, muscle, and nerve function.

@Theimpossiblegirl

At what age would you start to introduce more flavour to children's food? I'm a lover of spice but don't know when to introduce a wider range of flavours in the hope DD will like the same food as me.

Many children across the world enjoy very spicy foods from an early age, although you may prefer to start with milder flavours (cinnamon, mild smoked paprika, garlic etc). Once a baby is happily accepting solids you can begin to experiment with herbs and spices – try and think aromatically not necessarily hot and spicy. It’s a healthy way to add flavor to foods (especially as salt should not be added) and can turn an uninspiring dish into something a baby may really enjoy!

If your daughter is older I would suggest exploring spices together, perhaps starting simply by adding cinnamon to breakfast cereal or garlic to a pasta sauce or herbs to a homemade pizza, then perhaps experiment by adding a spice rub to chicken or fish before cooking.
Making some muslin cloth parcels filled with various herbs and spices and tying them with an elastic band is a safe way for you and your child to smell and explore them without spilling or ending with them on your fingers and up your nose. Growing herbs is fun and easy too and might help your daughter to take an interest in them and a chance to talk about how to include them in your home cooking together?

@ikkle87

What are the best ways to introduce meats to toddlers? My son is 15 months old and will tolerate mince and chicken if it's in tiny pieces mixed in something like mashed potato but otherwise he refuses.

@ikkle87

Whats your best tip for when children refuse food should you offer an alternative or wait in the hope that they will eat when hungry?

Meat can be a tricky texture to conquer and it’s usually why some children have a preference for processed breaded meats and fish because the protein has already been mashed and processed and therefore makes it an easier texture to chew and manage. If you feel your son refuses meat due to the texture then you could make your own finger foods to store in the freezer using chicken breast. Put it a chicken breast through the food processor add some breadcrumbs and some grated carrot, onion and apple to add some moisture and shape into finger sized pieces and bake or shallow fry.

Kebab sticks are too sharp and dangerous to use but craft shops often sell lolly sticks that are much shorter and have rounded ends, if your son enjoys peanut butter you could make a satay sauce and coat some chicken breast in it before cooking, he might find it more interesting to eat the chicken off a lolly stick (but do not leave him unattended with it).

I believe it’s always important to make sure that you prepare a child for what is going to be served at a meal so that they are not refusing it because it is has come as a surprise or in case they were expecting something else. Always sit with your child and have a small amount of whatever they are eating on your plate, you don’t have to sit down and eat an entire meal and spoil your own appetite but modelling for your child at mealtimes goes a long way in supporting them and encouraging them to eat. As a parent there is no right or wrong way to approach anything, simply a way that works for you and your child. So if you decided to not offer anything else until the next meal, make sure you are consistent in your approach and don’t move the goalposts as this only sends the wrong messages to your child and confuses them.

My response to Fillybuster above will also offer you some more guidance.

@Tobdoc

If a child is overweight/obese how can I encourage a healthy but filling amount of food through the day without other children noticing, especially at lunchtime? Thanks

Protein and wholegrains are a great way to fill a hungry tummy and will release energy slowly between meals. Processed refined carbohydrates like white bread, rice cakes and biscuits will offer a quick burst of energy but leave your child hungry and likely tired too. Wholegrain pasta or noodles with pesto and chicken will provide a good filling lunch with slow release carbohydrates and filling protein. If you are sending the lunch to school there are some good thermos flasks on the market that keep food warm until lunchtime, so you could also offer baked beans and a side of wholegrain bread and some cheese. Or a spaghetti bolognaise? If your child would prefer sandwiches then wholegrain bread with protein fillings like chicken and pesto or chicken and sundried tomato paste with or without salad depending on preference. Boiled eggs, Satay Chicken Pieces or Spanish Omelet are all good protein filled additions for lunches too.

Snacks like homemade banana muffins made with half white and brown flour or flapjacks made with whole rolled oats or the dried fruit and nut recipe in the post to janekirk should keep energy levels from waning and hunger at bay.

@jollytummywobbles

My eldest will eat anything and everything at school, but is really fussy at home. How can we overcome that?

Children have a real knack for driving us crazy with what they will happily accept and eat away from our watchful eye! If there is a menu at school for the meals that are served and clearly eaten, perhaps you could do the same at home. Sit down together and discuss the meals that you prepare and cook, include your child in the decision of what to have on which day and be flexible with their likes and dislikes, perhaps allow them to choose the accompaniments – for example corn on the cob, peas, roasted sweet potato etc or whether it’s rice, pasta or potato.

If they are old enough and interested they can draw the meal or write out the menu by hand or on the computer. Each day before they leave for school – ask them to check the menu and tell you what’s on it for dinner. When they come home if need be remind them to check the menu so they know what’s for dinner and if there is any fuss, remind them that they helped to write the menu. If you feel this is too restrictive then allow one swap a week (swapping the menu days over) and make sure your child understands this rule too.

@grannybiker

Any ideas for encouraging a 7 year old to try new foods? When he was little, many foods gave him a really painful tummy, so we think most of his current reluctance is psychological What he will eat is so limited and any "New" foods he has decided he likes after all seem to be junk or sweet :(

Illness and allergies can cause havoc on a child’s association with food and also an element of trust in food can be lost because children then become fearful that certain foods might make them ill or trigger a negative or allergic reaction which they have no control over.

Use the same approach I have suggested for adoptmama and work through a senses chart with him using new foods that he finds challenging.

@TiggersAngel7774

My son ASD and wont eat any fruit and only veg is sweetcorn. He has very limited pallette. Hes very interested in fruit and will sometimes lick but at 6 hes never eaten anything apart from a banana once as a toddler. His limited food choices dont seem limited by colour or texture as i know can be case with many children with ASD. Loves peach or raspberry yoghurts so long as no bits, loves smoothies so is accustomed to taste of fruit.

Any tips would be wonderful

It is great that you are encouraging your son to lick new fruits, do not worry too much at this stage about forcing him to eat anything new this will come with time and confidence.

Relating other foods to ones that your son already eats might help too, for example sweet potato is very sweet “like” sweetcorn, you could roast some sweet potato chips and explore these by licking them first and then perhaps brushing your teeth and just making teeth marks in the food, explain to your son that you are just going to explore a new food and he does not have to eat it, this will take the pressure off and help him to be more open to the experience.

Keep a record in a food diary of the new foods/fruits by drawing them and placing a star or sticker next to it once he manages to lick or brush his teeth with. When he has managed to repeat one of the foods six times (because he is six) over the course of a week or two, offer a small reward that is not food related. You could also use the approach I have given to adoptmama and see if your son responds well to the senses chart approach.

@adoptmama

My almost 7 year old has always had a lot of sensory problems which include smells and textures. She won't eat a lot of food she likes the taste of - like peach, orange etc - because of the texture (will eat them pureed like you get in baby food jars however). The only veg she eats is broccoli and cauliflower (both have similar texture). She is highly fearful of trying new foods and will gag strongly if forced. She rejects any strong flavours. How do I help her vary her diet and learn to tolerate new foods?

Texture plays a huge part in food and eating and therefore children with various sensory integration or aversion difficulties can find mealtimes and new foods extremely challenging. It’s brilliant that your daughter enjoys both broccoli and cauliflower – many children would turn their nose up at both of these highly nutritious vegetables, and if she can tolerate smooth fruit or juices then she is getting some of the necessary and important nutrients. Your daughters gag reflex is very sensitive and forcing her to eat something new will set it off and also make her more fearful.

Take a very simple approach and on a piece of paper draw a table with columns, at the top of each column draw an eye, the next an ear, the next a nose, the next lips, the next column a tongue, the next some teeth and the last one a mouse. If your drawing (like mine) leaves a lot to be desired, then print some pictures off the internet or from a magazine for the corresponding icons.

The idea is to choose a food – for example Orange and taking a slice for yourself and one for your daughter work through the chart, beginning with the eye, this picture asks you and your daughter to just look at the Orange and if she can look and talk about it place a tick in the column under the eye. Work through each of the senses, listening to the food, then smelling etc and offering a tick for each step taken, do not force your daughter to do more than she can manage.

Make sure you choose a time when you are both relaxed and there is no time pressure to do anything else. See if your daughter can gradually, over time work her way through the chart to placing the orange on her lips, tongue, brush her teeth with it and eventually take a tiny mouse nibble (the teeniest of nibbles) this is a graded exposure approach and will take time and patience but provides a step by step approach to helping your daughter through what can feel like a sensory mine field of food.

@sweetlouise

Can i ask what you thoughts are on rewarding a child on eating a new food? My son is 5 and it is only now we are making progress with vegetables. He gets to select a new vegetable each week and for that week we have that veg with every meal. Some with success, some without. If he does well on the week he is rewarded with additional pocket money (we are also teaching him the value of £1). He does not eat many other foods but we thought prioritising vegetables would be of greatest benefit.

Sounds like you have a very good and consistent plan that is working, well done on setting that up. Also allowing a week for exploring and adjusting to a new food particularly a vegetable (that doesn’t form the main component of the meal) is a great approach, it also sounds as if you are being very realistic and not expecting your son to like everything.

Reward and praise are great motivation for children, and I always make a point of using both so long as they are not food related. For example I would not recommend bribing a child to eat their peas so that they can then have chocolate
Mealtimes for especially picky or selective eaters can turn into a battle of wills between parents and children. But however difficult a situation might be to work through, no matter how tired or exhausted you are feeling it’s never a good idea to bribe children to get them to eat.

Bribes are never good practice and certainly not when it comes to issues of food and eating. Initially it might seem like rather a good idea and pretty harmless to offer chocolate as a reward for eating peas, especially if it gets all the peas eaten.
However on closer consideration a bribe can actually cause the disliked food to become even more undesirable as the food related reward of chocolate implies that the peas are “Bad”.

The consequence as a result of the food bribe is that the child will always expect a chocolate for eating peas and will always struggle to enjoy them and probably never accept them.

However charting your child’s progress over a week and supporting them through the process and offering a weekly reward for their efforts whether it is money, stickers, a magazine or some computer time is a really positive approach. Keep up the great work!

@cornishgirl54

If your child is a fussy eater and refuses a lot of food how do you find a balance between trying to get them to eat a wide range of foods and just sticking with whatever they will eat?

Finding the balance is key and not just for your child but to help save your sanity too as it can be so frustrating to have a child who refuses so many new or different foods. I would say the best thing to do is to agree with your child that together you will explore a new food each week, decide on the weekend what that food might be, perhaps a new fruit or vegetable or maybe just a new pasta shape or baking a different biscuit or cake. Flexibility is key too, so if you are finding it very trying offering completely new foods then try and make a simple adjustment to something they already eat. Instead of just cheese on toast, perhaps sprinkle some paprika or herbs on top to make it a little bit different, or explain that you are making noodles for dinner which is like spaghetti pasta. Even just begin by offering the same foods in a different shape as it might help your child transition to new and different foods gradually.

@hails8419

How do you begin weaning/ fruit and veg singly or combined, smooth, lumpy or whole? How often do you re-introduce a food that isn't initially enjoyed? x

There are two approaches to weaning your baby, one is the traditional method at six months of introducing a smooth puree and starting with pear and sweet vegetables such as carrot, squash, swede and sweet potato that are all easy to digest. You need to offer each food individually on their own and across 2-3 days to ensure that your baby does not have a reaction to them. Once you have done this and they are tolerating them, you can begin to combine them together. Always offer a new food in isolation never two new foods together so that you can keep an eye on any reactions. Then by 7months you can begin to introduce lumps to the foods by mashing with a fork rather than using a hand blender and offering finger foods such as chip sized pieces of cooked carrot and sweet potato.

Another approach is Baby Led Weaning and involves allowing your baby to feed themselves so that they learn to chew straight away rather than just swallow a smooth puree, this approach also advocates that your baby feeds themselves.

How to wean is a personal choice and it depends on your baby’s personality, some babies refuse to be spoon fed and are fiercely independent and fare much better on Baby Led Weaning where they have the control.

Babies naturally have a preference for sweet, however they have yet to really form any dislikes so I would advise that if your baby is turning their head away they might be full or tired and if they grimace with a new food it’s not because they don’t like it, it’s just a new experience. If something is consistently refused then wait a week and try again.

Weaning is a time of discovery and for babies is yet another interesting and exciting activity in their day for them to experience. Experiment and see what works for your and your baby. Never leave your baby or child unattended with finger food or when feeding.

@helcrai

My eight year old will eat certain vegetables for a while then will suddenly decide she doesn't like them. How can I encourage her to keep eating them? She's too old now for he tricks I would use when she was younger ( hiding veggies; making them into a Face etc).

Do you think it might be because your daughter gets bored of them? Could it be worth rotating them on a weekly basis? Perhaps ask your daughter why it is she doesn’t like them anymore and talk to her about how you can maybe make them more interesting or palatable.

Green beans can get a bit boring after a while, so maybe once they are cooked wok fry them with some butter and garlic, carrots can be a bit bland, maybe cooking them in orange juice would increase their appeal?

Sweetcorn thrown in a quick pancake mix make great fritters as a side vegetable dish, or enlist her help to make a dressing for a simple salad putting her favourite salad foods into it and making a dressing with oil, lemon, honey and balsamic vinegar?

Adding some herbs or spice to cauliflower and grating cheese over it before grilling might increase its appeal? Or what about something like edammame beans in pods, they are highly nutritious and delicious dipped in some soya sauce or maybe a peanut dipping sauce for baby corn or toasted sesame seeds on Broccoli? Ask your daughter to help come up with some dipping sauce favourites to add something new to a vegetable side dish for those times she needs a boost to tuck into the good stuff.

@sydroo

How do you deal with a child who will not eat food that accidentally touches each other on a plate (even none wet items such as mashed potato and peas)? Put the food items on separate plates? Buy a camping tray? What would your advice be?

This is something I come across quite frequently with clients and the answer is not always easy because it largely depends on where the problem has stemmed from. You do not say how old your child is but “neo phobia” or fear of something new or unknown is something that all of us experience in childhood and it’s a natural part of a child’s development. It tends to start at around 18months and can last a few weeks/months or sometimes up to the age of five and very rarely into adulthood. It manifests itself in a variety of scenarios and many usually involve food at some point.

For example a child not wanting to eat a biscuit that’s broken is a common theme, even though it’s one they like, to them the biscuit is not just broken, there is something wrong with it and therefore not safe to eat. The same goes for other foods that might be slightly burnt or presented in a different way.

I expect this is what your child is going through; many children prefer their food separately on their plate so they can see what they are eating. There are some plates on the market that have divisions like an airplane meal tray which you could use. Alternatively if you want to try and help your child overcome this habit then then best time to do this is when it’s not a mealtime, and without any need or pressure to eat anything.

Take time out to do some cooking or food play that involves mixing things together and allowing foods to touch each other that would usually be separate and talk your child through the activity and reassure them that it’s okay. Maybe have some fun using mashed potato on a tray and use the peas to make patterns or a face in it – reassure your child that it’s just for fun and they don’t have to eat it. You could tuck into it yourself though without comment to show them that it’s safe to eat.

@Andreama1

My almost 3 year old likes to snack lots during the day (mainly healthy foods). When it comes to dinner time she's not hungry. Should I encourage her not to snack so much, or this ok for her age?

Snacks form an important part of a child’s diet to help make sure they eat the necessary nutrients and calories throughout the day, especially as their small tummies cannot manage to fit all their requirements in at just three meals a day. So three meals and two or three snacks per day should fill their requirements. It’s good that you mention the snacks you offer are healthy however I would make sure that you decide on a time in the morning and a time in the afternoon when you offer a snack and stick to this. This should help regulate your daughter’s appetite and make sure that she is not filling up too much before meals. You don’t mention whether your daughter also drinks milk or squash throughout the day, as this can fill up small tummies and reduce appetite too. In the beginning you might need to bring lunch and teatime forward by half an hour to help your daughter adjust, and if she is really struggling before a meal, offer her something tiny like a slice of cucumber or raw carrot to keep her going, my friend always gave her twins a couple of olives or a small slice of cheese to nibble on as the intense flavor kept them satisfied whilst she got dinner ready but didn’t spoilt their appetites.