Toddlers and preschoolers typically start to refuse healthy foods. What is the best strategy parents to use to help children continue to eat healthy foods beyond this stage of life?

Question

Toddlers and preschoolers typically start to refuse healthy foods. What is the best strategy parents to use to help children continue to eat healthy foods beyond this stage of life?

Question 4 options:

make them sit at the table until they clean their plate

make them go without dinner

spoon feed the foods to them

offer other healthy foods until they find some that the child will eat

Answer 1

The best strategy for parents to encourage toddlers and preschoolers to continue eating healthy foods is to:

"offer other healthy foods until they find some that the child will eat."

This approach respects the child's developing tastes and autonomy while still prioritizing nutritious choices. It is important for parents to remain patient and persistent, offering a variety of healthy options. Children's preferences can change over time, and repeated exposure to different healthy foods can help them become more familiar and comfortable with new flavors and textures.

Forcing children to clean their plate, making them go without dinner, or spoon-feeding them can lead to negative associations with eating and food, potentially creating power struggles or disordered eating habits. It's far more effective to make mealtimes positive, stress-free, and to model good eating behaviors. Parents can also involve their children in meal planning and food preparation, as this can increase interest and willingness to try new foods.