@the.baby.dietitian: These are just a few helpful suggestions if you are battling with your child only wanting snacks or endlessly grazing. These responses may not be appropriate for children with feeding issues including ARFID or any medical condition that impacts nutritional needs. These responses are geared towards older toddlers and may not be appropriate for younger children (0-18 months) who may not be able to understand these prompts just yet. Here are other tips we use to keep our kids focused at meal times and avoid the “can I have a snack?” question right after meals. 1. We try to make meals and snacks equally exciting. We don’t want snack time to be seen as widely different than mealtime. We sit at the table for both and approach the meals or snacks in a similar way. When possible, we serve snacks without the package and place on a plate with other whole food options. 2. We ALWAYS offer a safe/preferred food with meals, so we know that our kiddos like something on their plate and feels comfortable coming to the table. 3. If our kids aren’t initially eating the meal, we may sometimes experiment with food play, descriptive language to discuss the food, play “taste testers” where we take turns placing a bite of food in the other ones mouth and guessing what it is, or implement fun utensils like construction forks or tongs to help our kiddos engage in the food in a new way that can increase their comfort with the food. We also start with small volumes of non-preferred foods and offer favorite dips. 4. We have set times when we serve snacks and meals, so our children know when to expect a meal or snack. This helps them tune into their intuitive eating skills and check-in with their body before leaving the table. These are just a few suggestions and there is not a one size fits all approach. Hope this is helpful! #fyp #viral #toddlernutritionist #toddlernutrition #toddlerfoods #toddlereating #pediatricdietitian #dietitianforbaby #thebabydietitian #CapCut

Cindy S. RD, IBCLC

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Monday 25 November 2024 15:55:19 GMT