It’s an age-old question: what do you do with fussy eaters at home? It’s normal for children to be fussy eaters when they’re young, but this doesn’t make it any easier on parents concerned for their children’s nutrient levels. This month in RPA, we look at some of the best tips and tricks to ensure parents can tackle their little fussy eater with the best strategies.
Parents’ concern with their child’s eating habits begins soon after giving birth, especially in terms of breastfeeding and when to introduce solid foods into their diets, says The Platform Alliance Group Regional Manager NSW, and mum, Brianne Shephard.
“[It] really starts to step up a notch [at school age] with the pressure of balance: a packed school lunch that’s not only healthy but also something the child will actually consume,” she said.
“We’ve all heard and tried all the tricks in the book around making smiling faces out of cucumbers and bananas, and hiding avocado in brownies. However, the latest national survey found that only six per cent of children met both the daily fruit and vegetable recommendations.”
Ms Shephard draws on her own experiences as a parent and discusses the difficulty in finding balance in the kitchen at times.
Tips to try
Ms Shephard says every household is different, and what works for one parent and child may not for another. However, the tips she has collected over the years include:
Positive language. “Hiding the veggies in ‘spag bol’ is easy, and you should continue to do this, but we want our children to grow up and make their own healthy decisions for life. It’s important that we start early and speak positively about cauliflower, and even Brussels sprouts.”
Out of sight, out of mind. “We all have junk food in the house, but [leaving it] on a top shelf in a container will help remove the temptation [for kids]. Ensure the fruit bowl is well stocked and in reach at all times.”
Make food fun. “Get creative and have the kids involved in food prep.”
Family dinner. “Be present and make dinner time family time.”
Set boundaries. “This may involve setting time limits or letting your child know that the kitchen will be closed after dinner time, so no hearty meals will be available, but there will be fruit on offer, and whatever they don’t eat for dinner will be put in the fridge, should they be hungry later.”
Back-up plan. “Ensure your child is making their [recommended nutritional intake] quota with a high-quality vitamin, probiotic or supplement drink, such as Ensure or Sustagen.”
At the end of the day, if a parent believes their child is suffering from a vitamin or mineral deficiency, they should speak to their GP or pharmacist to seek further assistance.
Ms Shephard’s recommendations on supplement options can be useful to suggest to parents in a pharmacy setting. These include fish oil, iron, immunity, and children’s nutritional drink supplements.
“PediaSure, Ensure or Sustagen will help supplement a fussy eater’s diet,” she said, “but shouldn’t be used as a meal replacement option.”
Empathy emphasised
According to Ms Shephard, the key to interacting in a pharmacy with parents concerned about their child’s diet is using as much empathy as possible.
“Often parents have tried many other solutions and failed before seeking out advice,” she said, “so it’s important that we don’t judge, [that we] listen to their concerns and refer to a pharmacist for further advice where necessary.”
This feature was originally published in the March issue of Retail Pharmacy Assistants e-magazine.
