8 Easy Tips To Help Your Toddler Try New Foods

Many parents who have weaned their babies are aware of the power-struggles that can accompany getting your child to try new foods or to even eat the one food they liked last week. A good reason why introducing new foods to toddlers can be an uphill task is that toddlers love to eat familiar foods, that they feel safe and reassured.

While there’s no magic trick to get your toddler eating every food you put in front of him, there are aa ew tricks that you can employ to get him to feed better and enjoy a variety of healthy nutritious foods.

READ ALSO: 11 Foods Your Baby May Not Be Ready For

If you are consistent with your approach to feeding your little one, you can gently expand the list of foods they do eat…even if the progress is slow and steady. See tips below:

1. Offer New Foods In Small Portions:

New foods can be a little overwhelming for babies. A practical thing to do would be to introduce new tastes in tiny portions, as little as a tablespoon sometimes, that will help keep fear at bay and also reduce the amount of food that gets wasted.

2. Accommodate Their Preferences But…

Your toddler will like some foods than others, while that is not a bad thing in itself, you don’t have to submit to their thin list. If your toddler likes pasta with peas, for instance, you can on other days make pasta with carrots. Gradually, they will learn to welcome both states and eventually catch up on loving them.

3. Let Them Get Hungry

If your toddler is suddenly not eating as well at dinner, try moving back his afternoon snack or eliminating it completely—there’s a much better chance they will eat if they have 2-3 hours to work up an appetite. And if your kiddo does get super hungry and a meal isn’t quite ready yet,  try a new food as an appetizer. If you wait till they are hungry, chances are that the won’t be so picky.

4. Talk About Food

Use descriptive words about the color, the texture, the flavor, and the temperature to spark your toddler’s fancy. Encourage them to describe the food too—is it cold or hot? Does it feel crunchy or soft? Who’s favorite color is it? This might get you farther than focusing on “like” and “dislike”. It’s positive, supportive, and fun.

5. Don’t Be Too Pushy

Forcing anything doesn’t go well. It will serve your purpose to be encouraging and not take it personally that your toddler isn’t eating as much as you would like, even though you are making real sumptuous meals. You decide what to offer, they decide what and how much to eat it. Don’t sweat it if they don’t eat some of everything, you’ll be more pleasantly surprised on other days. So relax.

6. Remember That It Is Normal

Almost every child shows some resistance towards food in the beginning, so don’t fret over it. Your child may require some time to adjust to new tastes, be patient, be consistent and apply the tricks.

7. Add Flavour

Flavor is good and it might be the gateway to helping toddlers learn to eat and enjoy the foods we introduce. So let them taste sauce, add herbs and moderate spices, and observe what they like.

8. Keep Trying

Like with all other aspects of parenting, you shouldn’t give up after a few tries. Feeding is particularly essential because of it’s major grow in the healthy growth and development of children. Try new methods daily, be patient and see daily what works for your special child.