Real Mums
Kate Meechan, Isle of Man
Son, Travis 22 months old
"I have 3 sons, a five year old, an eight week old and Travis who is 22 months. Mealtimes are tense most days. I find I get quite anxious because I'm busy with the other kids and I just want Travis to eat what I give him but he's at the stage when he just wants to play! I get so worried about him not eating enough I've been known to cook 3 different meals in one mealtime - which he's refused - and then still chase him round with a carrot on a fork as he plays afterwards in a desperate attempt to get some nutrients into him!
Travis tends to eat with us in the evenings. I'll cook a meal like chicken casserole or stir-fry using a jar of sauce or packet mix. Or if we're having something he doesn't like, he'll have pizza and chips or sausages and baked beans.
I admit to using food to reward good behaviour - as a treat. I know this can create bad relationships with food but I still find myself doing it. I also offer food when they're having tantrums but I do think often tantrums can occur as their blood sugar drops - they use so much energy running around that I think they need snacks. Now Travis is nearly 2 he has crisps and fizzy drinks, but I keep these to a treat once a week and he'll have a takeaway with us maybe once a fortnight.
I tend to get all my advice on feeding from friends. I know that once they reach one year they can have pretty much anything. You shouldn't give them too much salt, but I've no idea how much is bad for them. I try and ensure the food I give them provides high levels of fibre and iron which I know is important too. As I'm on my third child, I find the advice from health visitors changes so often I can't keep up."
Are you a Real
Parent?
Do you have a story
or tip to share with
Little People's
Plates?
Contact Us now!
Guidance & Tips
Our evidence-based, practical advice sheets are designed to help make your Little People's Plates just right for them.
Download the sheets now
It sounds to me as if Travis is getting enough to eat if he is not hungry at meal times. However it may be that he is taking a lot of food as snacks. Unfortunately not all his snacks may be nutritious foods.
Try offering Travis food at his meals and at 2 planned snacks each day. Give these snacks about half way between the meals. If the snacks include a food rich in carbohydrate such as breadsticks, bananas, crackers, oatcakes and sandwiches then you needn't worry about him having a low blood sugar. Toddlers will throw tantrums anytime they don't understand why they can't have something they want.
Many mothers feel anxious about how much toddlers eat and it is often because mothers are overestimating how much food toddlers need. If Travis has been measured and is growing well then try and trust that he knows how much he needs and allow him to eat to his hunger. If you cut the snacks to just two planned snacks per day then he will probably eat more at meal times.
Allow Travis to stop eating at his meals when he says he has had enough and don't be tempted to chase him around the room with a spoon or give him a sweet snack just to make sure he has had something. Just wait until his next planned meal or snack before offering him something to eat again.
It is difficult to measure the amount of salt in food as there is already some in the nutritious foods such as bread, cheese, milk and meat, If you give him these foods but cut out the less nutritious, but salty snacks like crisps, you will not need to worry that he is having too much salt.
You are right it is best not to use food as rewards or bribes. Toddlers love their parents attention so Travis would probably prefer to have you read him an extra story or play a game with him rather than have a food reward.
Pizza is a good food but serve it with some carrot sticks or cherry tomatoes rather than chips. Pizza and chips together is a lot of fat. Pizza with salad sticks is fine.
Most toddlers like sausages and beans which is a nutritious meal for them as long as you choose good quality sausages that have a high lean meat content and are low in fat and salt. Some cheap sausage brands are high in fat and have very little lean meat in them.
Hide comments