Family Mealtime with Infants and Toddlers

Family meals can be stressful for toddlers (and their parents!). Forty percent of toddlers tend to be picky eaters.

Here are some ideas to help make your mealtime with infants and toddlers less stressful:

• When old enough to grab, infants do best in highchairs with finger food or small toys to play with.
• A toddler may only be able to sit for 10 minutes; it’s OK to let them leave when they are ready.
• They often won’t eat much with everyone there.
• Family meals can be stressful for toddlers! Why?
• You may want to give them an early healthy snack in case they don’t eat well at dinner.
• Make it a game to come to the table.
• Keep it happy and light with questions such as “How many peas can you get on your spoon?”
• 40 percent of toddlers tend to be picky eaters.
• Don’t worry if they don’t want to try foods, just keep offering them. It usually takes offering a new food 8-10 times before a child will accept it.
• Make food fun, for example orange slices as a smile and grape halves as eyes.
• Consider bringing them a quiet toy to the table.
• Remember what your goals are for family dinners:
  • Build relationships
  • Have a happy time as a family
• For infants and toddlers, food will not be the most important part.

Don’t forget to journal!

Plan at least three easy family meals and post the menu on your refrigerator along with the days so everyone knows to be there.