Is your child resistant to eating a variety of foods? Do you ever have days where you notice most of the food you serve to your toddler ends up on the floor? Are there moments your child shows very little interest in eating much at all?

You're not alone! This is typical behavior for toddlers. Consider the following strategies to help your child eat a nutritious diet.

--- Be patient with food jags. A food jag is when a child only eats one particular food item every meal. Don't be alarmed if your child requests the same things each day. This is acceptable if the foods are healthy. The more you focus on a food jag, the longer it's likely to last. Even when certain foods aren't initially accepted, keep healthy foods available just in case your child is ready for something different.

--- Avoid pressuring or bribing your child to try a new food. These actions could encourage a future power struggle. In addition, your child might lose interest in certain foods and end up disliking them. Slowly introduce new foods, especially at the beginning of a meal when your child is the hungriest. Be patient; it can take several times for a child to accept a new food.

--- Try presenting nutritious finger foods in a fun way. Put bite-sized pieces of cheese, wedges of hard-cooked eggs, raw vegetables, unsweetened and ready-to-eat cereals, and sliced fruit into separate compartments of an empty ice cube tray. You could also try using a measuring cup, muffin tin, ice cream cone or clean toy plate.


--- Reserve a spot in your food pantry and refrigerator for healthful foods that your toddler enjoys. Whenever your child is hungry, open up the pantry or refrigerator door and allow him or her to make a healthy selection.

--- Include your child in food shopping, meal preparation and serving. Kids will be more tempted to eat one of their own creative works of "food art."

--- Offer juice or milk with food and encourage water between meals and snacks. Your child might be less likely to eat his or her meals if they load up on beverages between meals.

--- Make mealtimes a happy, social time. Eat with your child as often as possible. Set a good example by eating healthful choices.

--- Encourage small, frequent meals with nutritious snacks in between. Take snacks seriously. They can make up for meals and help take care of your child's nutritional needs. Some nutritious snack ideas are fresh fruit or vegetables, cheese, hummus, graham crackers with peanut butter, pudding and yogurt.

--- Have fun with vegetables. See how many vegetables you can try that begin with a different letter of the alphabet, cut them into creative shapes, dip them into salsa, bean dip or herb-flavored plain yogurt and add them into favorite meals like chili, spaghetti sauce and macaroni and cheese.

Remember to be patient. Your child's eating habits won't change overnight. Be open-minded to trying new strategies. Developing good eating habits at a young age is one of the best ways to give your child a start for a healthy future.

Amy Watson is a clinical dietitian serving as a Wellness Coach for
WellSpan Health.