Food Refusal: Practical Tips for Parents
Food refusal can be incredibly challenging for parents. The child who once tried everything is now refusing their favourite foods. It’s easy to fall into the habit of offering something they will eat just to avoid conflict. However, this can lead to more severe picky eating habits. When your child first starts refusing foods, it is the best time to implement specific feeding strategies. Let’s explore some strategies to prevent your child from becoming a more severe picky eater.
Why All the Fuss?
Common Age Range for Food Refusal
Food refusal is common between two and nine years of age. During this time, children are exploring their independence and developing their tastes.
Changing Appetites
Children’s appetites fluctuate based on their energy needs. They tend to eat more during growth spurts and at the onset of puberty.
Attention-Seeking Behaviour
Some children use food refusal and fussy eating as a way to gain attention from their parents.
What May Contribute to Food Refusal?
Excessive Snacks or Drinks
Too many snacks or drinks can decrease a child’s appetite for regular meals.
Overconsumption of Milk
Drinking too much milk can fill children up and reduce their hunger for other foods. Limit milk intake to approximately 250ml per day.
Child’s Mood
A child’s mood can significantly impact their appetite. Hunger is often reduced when a child is tired, sick, or upset.
Activity Levels
A child’s daily activity patterns can influence their appetite. More active children may have higher energy needs and thus a better appetite.
Irregular Eating Patterns
Children’s appetites are better regulated when meals are kept to regular times.
Serving Sizes
Large meals can be off-putting for children. Smaller, manageable portions are often more appealing.
General Tips on How to Tempt Fussy Eaters
Create a Positive Mealtime Environment
Include your child in family meals and set a positive example by making mealtimes a happy and relaxed experience. Give your child around 15-20 minutes to eat their meal.
Involve Your Child in Food Preparation
Let children help with food preparation. This can increase their interest in what they eat.
Ensure Comfortable Seating
Make sure your child is seated comfortably in a chair with their back supported.
Structured Meals and Snacks
Timing and structure of eating matters. Provide three meals a day and 2 small snacks in between. Offer small servings and encourage children to ask for more if they are still hungry.
Avoid Coercion during Food Refusal
Allow children to eat to their appetite without coercion, force, or arguments.
Minimise Distractions
Avoid distractions such as television and tablets during meals.
Monitor Drink Intake
Ensure your child is not filling up on drinks, especially milk, close to mealtimes.
Make Mealtimes Fun
Make mealtimes fun with novelties like fancy drinking straws, decorated cups and plates, and vegetables and sandwiches cut into various shapes.
Offer Limited Choices
Allow children food choices but limit these to 2 or 3 options. Too many choices can make children fussier.
Avoid Food as a Reward
Avoid using food as a reward or bribing children, but praise them if they try a new food.
Structured Eating Times
Avoid offering food all day. Provide food at meal and snack times only.
Addressing Specific Food Refusals
Food Refusal for Milk
Calcium from milk is important for strong bones and teeth. If your child won’t drink milk, try these alternatives:
- Snack on cheese, custard, and yogurt.
- Add milk to soups, sauces, and desserts.
- Add grated cheese to soups, pastas, vegetables, or sauces.
- Use calcium-fortified soy drink as a milk replacement.
Food Refusal for Vegetables
Vegetables are an important source of vitamins, minerals, and fibre. If your child won’t eat vegetables, try these strategies:
- Serve raw vegetable sticks as a snack with dip or cottage cheese.
- Add diced vegetables to soups and fried rice.
- Present vegetables in different ways, such as stir-fry or vegetable kebabs.
- Cut vegetables into different shapes or sizes.
- Start a vegetable garden at home and involve the whole family.
- Ask your child to assist with buying and preparing vegetables.
Food Refusal for Meat
Meat is a good source of protein and iron. If your child won’t eat meat, try these ideas:
- Serve meat minced or finely chopped with gravy or a sauce.
- Include meat in stir-fries, fried rice, casseroles, or pasta sauces.
- Use dairy products, eggs, peanut butter, and baked beans as alternative protein sources.
Points to Remember about Food Refusal
- Food refusal is normal and common.
- Most children will eat when hungry.
- It is the responsibility of parents to decide what is offered to their child and the responsibility of the child to decide what they will eat.
- Children often need to try a food at least ten times before they will eat it without fuss.
- Don’t panic! Some children may be seeking your reaction when they don’t eat.
- Fussy eating is often a passing phase.
- Everyone has likes and dislikes. If your child continues to refuse a certain food, it may be that they just dislike it.
Seeking Professional Help for Food Refusal
Despite trying these strategies, some children may still need professional help to manage their picky eating habits. If your child’s eating habits are causing significant stress or affecting their health, it may be time to seek support from a feeding clinic.
Our Feeding Clinics in Sydney
At OneOnOne Children’s Therapy, our feeding clinics in Bondi Junction and Mascot are dedicated to helping children overcome their feeding challenges. We have created our ‘YukToYum’ program specifically for fussy eaters. Our team of experienced Speech Pathologists and Occupational Therapists provides personalised strategies and interventions tailored to your child’s needs.
Comprehensive Assessment
We start with a thorough assessment to understand the root causes of your child’s feeding issues. This allows us to create a tailored therapy plan that addresses their specific needs.
Personalised Therapy Plans
Our therapy plans may include a combination of oral-motor therapy, sensory integration therapy, and behavioural interventions to support your child in becoming a more adventurous eater. We use aspects of the SOS feeding approach but we include other approaches.
Parent Workshops and Training
We offer workshops and training sessions for parents to equip them with practical strategies and tools to manage feeding difficulties at home.
Group Sessions and Remote Support
In addition to individual therapy, we offer group sessions and remote support via Zoom to ensure all families have access to our expert guidance.
We are a team of Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Certified ESDM Therapists and Feeding Therapists who believe in a holistic approach to every child.
Contact Us about Food Refusal
If you’re concerned about your child’s picky eating or want to learn more about how our ‘YukToYum’ program can help, OneOnOne Children’s Therapy is here to assist. Call our feeding clinics in Bondi Junction and Mascot clinics at (02) 8065 7837 or email us. You can also book a free 30-minute phone call to discuss how we can support your child’s unique journey. Read more about food refusal and ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) here.
Take the first step towards happier and healthier mealtimes. Contact us today and see how we can make a difference!
