It’s normal and natural for children’s appetites to vary from meal to meal, day to day, and eat in a way that most adults might not consider balanced or nutritious. Most of the time, over a week or a month, most children do eat a variety of foods and nutrients to meet their needs.
Strategies:
- Focus regular meal and snack times. Try to sit down together for meals whenever possible.
- Mealtimes should be about connection. Use them as a chance to talk about your day. Keep conversation away from nutrition.
- Parents/caregivers are the example to the child and where they learn about eating and feeding
- Try to choose from the same foods. What you each put on your plate might be a bit different and that’s okay!
- Make opportunities to involve children in cooking and preparing food.
For more information:
- The Division of Responsibility in Feeding | Ellyn Satter Institute
- Canada’s Food Guide: Healthy eating for parents and children | Government of Canada