Questions and answers about Child Nutrition

Hi Shkurta
Thanks for your question. The best approach would be to see a nutritional therapist that could pinpoint the issues that have led to their weight gain.

In general, the most problematic food for children is food rich in sugar – sugary drinks (juices, cola, squash etc.), sugary snacks (biscuits, chocolate, candy etc.), added sugar to food and drinks, and sugar released from refined products like white potatoes, white bread, white pasta and white rice.

You could replace sugary drinks for water with squeezed fresh orange and/or just pure water, offer them as snacks nature’s candy – dry fruit + nuts and fruit (especially fruit lower in sugar like blueberries, blackberries and raspberries) and replace refined products for whole grain varieties.

Another problem which is common is the lack of vegetables in the diet. They are rich in fibre that keeps them full and provide them with slow-releasing energy and also supply nutrients that are needed for health as well as weight loss and maintenance. It would be a good idea to include vegetable soups or salads for dinner and provide them with snacks like vegetable sticks with hummus.

Try to replace unhealthy snacks like crisps and biscuits with nutritious snacks like apple with almond butter, oatcakes with hummus and dark chocolate with nuts. Also try to cook homemade meals to avoid added sugar and unhealthy refined fats.

Lack of exercise predisposes child to obesity especially if its coupled with a diet high in sugars. Make sure your kids get at least 2 hours exercise each day – it could be brisk walk, playing with their friends, cycling or going to fitness/dance classes.

Hope this general advice helps a little but I can only guess what the problems in their diet could be and these are the most common ones.
Good luck!

Andrea

Hi Ghada,

The reason why your son is refusing not sweet flavour could be that food like fish has a very different flavour, and that is why he refuses to eat the rest of the foods.

Fruits are so beneficial for him, so if he likes them, that is fine (include berries later in time). In the case of biscuits, if they are home-made (for example, home-made oat biscuits, low sugar) that would be also a healthy option. As you are a good cook, that shouldn't be a problem ;)

You can try to provide him with the food he likes, even sweet food. Then, decrease gradually the amount sweetness of the food until it is just slightly sweet. Then, It is more probable he will accept different flavour like fish or vegetables flavour. Anyway, you have to keep trying different food combinations and preparations, as it really depends on the case.

For breakfast, I will simply say that you don't have to limit yourself to cereals + fruit baby food. This has been a very common until nowadays. You can choose literally any healthy food he accepts. Also don't grind the food too much, as that is not good for his teeth.

Hi Ghada
Children go through different stages and although your son is refusing certain foods now keep persevering, as if we repeatedly give a child a food he or she doesn’t like, in fact around about 15 times, then eventually they will start to like it as their taste buds adjust. The key is not to give up, no matter how tempting it may be. Also, if you associate a food your son doesn’t like with something he enjoys then the chances are he will find it easier to eat it. For example, if you give your son fish before each visit to a play centre then he’ll start to associate fish with a place he enjoys and should eventually come to see fish as a positive food, as it’s the food he gets to eat before he goes off to play!

Involving your son in making the meals he eats can also be a helpful way of encouraging him to eat. Let him use all of his senses, encouraging him to taste the different ingredients, smell them and touch them, even throw the food around and have fun with it, within reason!

Certain textures can also be a problem at this age so you could try preparing the same food different ways and seeing if it makes a difference. For instance, try serving the same food when it’s mashed, blended, chopped etc., and it could be that it’s not the taste of the food he doesn’t like but how it feels in his mouth.

For healthy breakfasts, try porridge with stewed apple and cinnamon, buckwheat pancakes with berries (sweetened with a little apple juice), omelette soldiers (omelette cut into slices) or a smoothie (mix some fruit such as apple, berries and a bit of banana with some leafy green vegetables, avocado and some almond butter, so it tastes nice but he’s also getting a good range of nutrients from it).

Hi Ghada, firstly if meal times are becoming a problem try to stay calm. Toddlers often go through a developmental stage where there like to assert themselves by saying "No!" This includes refusing food. As a parent it is your responsibility to provide healthy food but it is your son's choice as to which of those healthy foods he will eat and how much.

Food quantity is a tricky one. A toddlers appetite will fluctuate from day to day. It's best not to extend meal times and try to coerce your son into eating. Praise him when he is eating rather than being upset when he isn't, to ensure that meal times are a pleasant experience.

Offer food at regular intervals with one small snack half way between meals, so that your son feels hungry before a meal. Try not to offer any extra food at other times. Limit milk and milk products to 3 times per day and offer water to drink between meals. At each meal and snack try to offer something that you know your son will eat in addition to new or less favoured foods. Praise him when he eats and don't show signs of anxiety/stress when he doesn't.

Make a list of all the foods that your son eats over a week and check that he is eating foods from all the food groups (such as: starchy foods - bread, rice etc., fruit and veg, dairy - milk, yogurt, cheese, protein - meat, fish, eggs, beans and pulses, and fats - oily fish, olive oil, and cakes/ biscuits (the latter should be kept to occasional foods).

Be a good role model yourself so that your son sees you enjoying healthy home-cooked foods. Involve him in the shopping and cooking.