Fussy Eaters
Whether it's about your 4 year old not eating carrots, or your tweanager not wanting to eat meat, tips for those fussy eaters out there.
Fussy Eaters
Again at guernseymums we are really pleased that our nutritional expert Helen Sylvester of Pure Nutrition www.pure-nutrition.co.uk has written us a piece on fussy eaters which is a subject of interest to all parents and carers. We all know how frustrating it is to cook a healthy meal only for our child to refuse to eat it or for them to eat a banana one day and the next say that they don't like it.!! Hopefully the article below will help you uncover some tips to deal with this issue:
Helen writes
When my daughter was born, I had just started my degree in nutritional therapy and had high hopes of her devouring my home cooked nutritious meals. However as she grew older, her small appetite and refusal to eat certain foods started me on a quest to ensure she ate nutritious foods without meal times turning into a battle.
Below are a few tips I have found helpful over the years as a Nutritional Therapist and also as a mother of a ‘fussy eater’!
1) Some children respond well to reward charts and I like the one available at lemonburst.co.uk (see link below). This chart encourages your child to eat a variety of coloured fruit and vegetables and the whole family can get involved. www.lemonburst.co.uk/acatalog/Lemonburst_The_Rainbow_Food_Activity_Chart_22.html
2) This tip is probably one that every parent of a fussy child has tried, hiding the ‘good stuff’ in a sauce. When I started weaning I brought a food processor and although it was expensive, I have found it invaluable. Vegetables can be chopped until very fine and added to bolognaise or casseroles and nuts and seeds, which can be blended to almost a powder, can be added to cakes, biscuits, smoothies and bread. I also blend home made soups so I can include beans and lentils as well as a range of vegetables.
3) Smoothies are a great way to ensure your child gets some fresh fruit. Use a few dessertspoons of natural yoghurt, a small banana, some berries (use frozen berries straight from the freezer if out of season as this also makes the smoothie nice and cool) and add a small amount of honey to sweeten if necessary. Loosen with milk or water and blend until smooth. This is something your child can also help you make.
4) Many children love to bake and I have found that with daughter it is the process she enjoys just as much as eating the cakes at the end. In fact she doesn’t appear to mind if she is baking chocolate fairy cakes or carrot and pineapple muffins, so I will normally choose the healthier option and save chocolate cakes for parties.
5) If your child refuses to eat anything wholemeal it is possible to adjust recipes that use plain flour, using a 50:50 mix of plain and wholemeal flour, which can be more acceptable to them. This works especially well in foods such as cakes, biscuits, pastry and bread. In the recipes I have tried most work well with this ratio, although you may need to play around a bit. It is worth noting that very young children should avoid too much wholemeal wheat flour, as it can be an irritant to their digestive tracts.
6) Try being creative with their favourite foods. My daughter loves pancakes which are quick to prepare and can be made into a healthy breakfast or lunch. When making the mixture I use a 50:50 mix of wholemeal and plain flour and when cooked serve with warm berries or bananas and for a savoury option choose grated hard cheese or a soft cream cheese.
7) To reduce the sugar content of homemade cakes and biscuits I have found reducing the sugar in recipes by 30-50% works well. In addition try using more natural sweeteners such as maple syrup and honey instead of sugar. (Babies under one should not be fed honey)
8) Try making home cooked versions of children’s favourites such as fish fingers. Get some thick white fillets of fish, cut into fingers and coat in seasoned flour, then beaten egg followed by breadcrumbs. Again you can use wholemeal breadcrumbs and I breadcrumb the ends of bread (using a food processor) and keep in the freezer to save time.
9) As my daughter has got older, it has got easier to encourage her to eat a balanced diet as I can explain why it is important. Just like adults children will respond more positively if they understand the reason behind your requests. It is also a good idea not to ‘go on’ about the more unhealthy choices, as my daughter kindly pointed out to me!
10) Some children find being faced with a plate of food much larger than their appetite can put them off, so be realistic about what you expect them to eat. Again as my daughter has grown I have encouraged her to serve her own plate of food (with guidance). So she takes responsibility for her food choices.
Overall it is important to establish a healthy, positive attitude to eating and if you lead by example and eat a balanced healthy diet yourself, this is a positive image for your children.
This article is aimed at those children who are fussy eaters and not for children who have an eating disorder. If your child has poor weight gain, showing signs of nutritional deficiencies or failing to thrive it is important that you seek professional advice.
The below recipe was adapted from a recipe by Delia Smith. I have reduced the sugar content, replaced some of the remaining sugar with maple syrup, adjusted the flour to a 50:50 mix and added extra nuts. The result is a delicious banana and walnut bread, which is probably slightly denser than when using just white flour, but is a real favourite in our house.
Banana and Walnut Loaf
Ingredients
3 oz soft butter
1 oz caster sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 large egg
4 oz plain white flour
4oz plain wholemeal flour
2 levels teaspoons baking powder
4 medium bananas
2oz walnuts roughly chopped.
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F/ Gas 4.
2. Grease a loaf tin measuring 9 X 19 cm) and line the bottom.
3. Place butter, sugar and beaten egg in a large mixing bowl and sift in the baking powder and both flours. In another bowl peel and mash the bananas.
4. Use an electric mixer to whisk the sugar, eggs, butter and flour, until roughly combined.
5. Add the mashed bananas and chopped walnuts and mix thoroughly.
6. Transfer to the loaf tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 50-55 minutes.
7. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a baking tray to cool.
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