Most parents know all too well the struggles that lunchtime, dinnertime, and even breakfast can provoke. Do day-to-day tantrums, ever-changing minds, and demands for this and that sound all too familiar? Rest assured it’s entirely normal preschool behaviour, but sometimes it can be frustrating and even upsetting. In following a few simple ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’, you can ensure mealtime is a happy and healthy occasion and not a daily dread.

So, what are the 7 ‘do’s’?

Keep mealtimes calm. When approaching mealtime, try to keep the occasion as pleasant, sociable and calm as possible - free of argument and stress. When children feel pressured or anxious, they’re unlikely to eat well. It also helps to remove distractions such as toys and screens. Toddlers and preschoolers have trouble focusing on more than one thing at a time and will struggle to concentrate on eating if their favourite TV show is running in the background.

Develop a meal and snack routine. It’s very important that a daily routine of three healthy meals and two or three snacks is developed. When overly hungry, children struggle to concentrate and can become irritable. On top of this, it’s a good idea to offer two courses at meals, one savoury and the other sweet. With two opportunities to consume calories and essential nutrients, and by eating a greater variety of foods, the meal becomes healthier and much more interesting!

Have a safety food. Attempt to always offer at least one food that you know your child eats and enjoys, but include something new and healthy, too. In this way, the child enjoys and recognises the familiar food, and they’re more inclined to try new ones. Perhaps they love their potatoes, but you would like for them to eat more veggies. In this case, offer a half side of potatoes alongside a few yummy carrot slices. And be sure to praise your child when they’ve tried something new, even if they didn’t enjoy the taste. Many toddlers won’t try a new food unless it’s been offered up to 15 times, so even a tiny bite is a huge success!

Opt for smaller portions first. It’s much better to serve smaller portions and then encourage your child to eat more once they have finished than to serve a bigger portion to begin with. This will ensure your child doesn’t become overwhelmed by the idea of having to eat a huge meal. What’s more, some children eat rather slowly, so let them take their time. When you rush a child, they’ll often lose their appetite.

Involve the kids. Involve your children in simple cooking and food preparation tasks and even when grocery shopping. You could let them choose between broccoli and cauliflower or rice and pasta, and then let them place the items into the shopping basket. Do not pressure them to eat the food, but know that the simple act of handling the items and getting to know the process will encourage them to eat them in future. This also applies to finger foods, as toddlers love to have control of feeding themselves.

Act as a role model. Around 75-90% of a preschooler’s learning is visual, copying their parents and caregivers. By sitting down with your children and eating the foods you would like them to eat, you are acting as a great role model, while positive commentary when discussing food encourages our kids to try new things.

Allow harmless habits. Many kids develop somewhat random but harmless habits when it comes to food. Maybe they like each food to be kept separate from one another or they only want to eat from a certain bowl. And if it gets them to eat, there’s no harm in going along with their funny habits.

What are the 4 ‘don’ts’ to keep in mind?

Don’t force them to finish their plate. It’s very important that your child isn’t forced to finish their bowl or plate. Parents must respect a child’s indication that they have had their fill, and when they’ve had enough, remove the plate and any leftovers without comment.

Don’t offer up a new meal. If your little one hasn’t eaten very much or is refusing to eat, it’s best not to offer an entirely new meal or snack, since they’ll quickly learn to take advantage and regularly demand new meals. Instead, make sure there is something in the meal that they will eat and then wait until the next snack or meal before providing more food.

Don’t offer snacks or filling drinks before a meal. Avoid offering snacks and large drinks of milk or squash before and alongside meals, as they’ll quickly reduce your child’s appetite. Instead, serve a cup of refreshing and hydrating water with each and every meal and snack.

Don’t offer sweets as a reward. Do not use dessert as a reward for good eating, as it teaches your child to desire even more sweets and sugar. But remember, dessert is not bad! Healthy desserts such as yoghurt topped with nuts or a pancake full of berries will surely go down a treat!

How do I guide healthy eating behaviours in children?

Unii's tips can help.