Fussy Eating - Is Biology to Blame?

Fussy Eating - Is Biology to Blame?

Cooking the same thing every night for your little one? Serving up a different dish for choosy family members each night? Battling to get the menu changed from fish fingers and sausages? Well before you blame yourself, take a breath and give yourself a break.

Life can be very difficult when your child’s a fussy eater. You might find yourself doing things for a quiet life, like cooking different versions (or different dishes) for everyone, choosing where you eat out based on whether they serve chips, simply because otherwise every meal is going to be such a battle that it’ll ruin all the fun anyway.

Many families share a common problem – not only do their children reject foods they seemed to love before, but they also refuse to try new foods. If you’re one of those parents who feel that sharing the fruits of your labour in the kitchen with your family is one of life’s real pleasures, then having a child who won’t take part can feel heartbreaking.

It can be easy to blame yourself, but before you do that, stop! While considering what you might be doing that’s helpful or unhelpful is, of course, a useful and necessary exercise, blaming yourself is pointless. 

Blaming is Pointless 

Blaming is a pretty useless exercise in general – it keeps you focused on how you perceive you’ve messed up – and don’t forget it’s all just your perception, none of it is fact! Blaming yourself keeps you feeling bad and being stuck with those feelings stops you moving on. So instead, take an honest look at what you might be doing that’s unhelpful, remember you’re doing your best and try a different option. 

The Developmental Element

Refusing food is thought to be partly developmental. Many children will accept a wide range of foods until they are around 2 years old, when things can change very suddenly. Some researchers think this is an evolutionary response, suggesting that toddlers’ taste buds can change when they start walking. Back in caveman times, eating any old berry they came across as they started exploring their environment for themselves could have been very dangerous for a toddler. So relax, your child’s sudden refusal of foods they used to love (or so you thought) could all be a natural part of their development.

Suspicion is Normal

Suspicion of new foods is also healthy part of a child’s development. Child nutrition experts think that it might serve a similar function to their tastes suddenly changing, as described above. Having an innate suspicion of new foods may also have stopped toddlers eating something poisonous as an evolutionary safeguard. So although you may not think that penne look very different to fusilli, your toddler might! You might think: “But I’m their mum, why don’t they trust me that it’s ok?” And the answer is that they will, eventually. But the fact that they don’t take your word for it straight away may indicate just how strong our human innate survival instincts are.

A Genetic Element?

Would you believe it, a study by researchers at UCL found that 78% of neophobia (fear of new foods) is genetic, and 22% environmental! Now, while it’s important to bear in mind that research findings don’t equal ‘fact’, it’s worth remembering that there may well be more to your child’s fussy eating than meets the eye. The idea that your child may be partly genetically programmed to be averse to trying new foods does make sense – survival is much more likely if the tools we need are biologically programmed into us rather than having to rely on them being completely taught by our parents, right?

That's all well and good, but what can I do about it?

If things change or your toddler won’t accept new foods, remember that it’s normal. Keep offering foods and try not to get frustrated - your child will only discover their true food likes and dislikes by trying things over and over and over again.

Don’t fall into the trap of cooking the same old thing - your child won’t be learning to trust new foods if you do this.

Don’t hide food (e.g. vegetables) in sauces – if you get found out, then even worse, they’ll learn not to trust you. 

Do pay attention to the foods they do like and try serving those familar food in a different way. Variety doesn't have to mean something compeltely new. Read more in our post about using Yogurt to help a fussy eater: How Yogurt Can Help a Fussy Eater.

So if you worry that your child will never eat anything but beige food, our advice try and relax and remember "I don't like it" actually means "I haven't tried it enough times yet". You’re not a failure as a parent (or a cook!). Don’t give yourself a hard time. Even though each week with a fussy eater might feel like a year, try to be patient, both with your child and even more importantly, with yourself. 

 Photograph courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Prawn, Avocado & Mango Salad

Prawn, Avocado & Mango Salad

Flavours and textures are symbiotic so the more flavours you expose your little one to, the more textures they will accept. Our Prawn, Avocado & Mango Salad recipe with salty prawns, sweet mango and citrus dressing has an abundance of flavours. It’s also a tumble of textures with crunchy lettuce, creamy avocado and slippery mango, perfect for waking up a little ones tastebuds. Serve as a simple salad and save any leftovers as a filling for a wrap.

Cooked (and peeled) prawns can be introduced to your baby from 6 months and honey from 12 months. Here is a quick and easy recipe for Prawn, Avocado and Mango Salad.

Prawn, Avocado & Mango Salad

Serves 2 big people and 1 little person 

Preparation Time:  5-10 minutes

 

1 avocado

1 mango

2 little gem lettuce

1 lime

Handful of fresh coriander (chopped)

¼ - ½ tsp chilli

1tsp honey (use 1tsp white grape juice concentrate as a substitute in under 1’s

1. Peel and de-stone the avocado and mango before slicing in to thin segments
2. Peel the mango and remove the stone and cut in to strips
3. Wash and tear the lettuce
4. To make the dressing, grate the zest of half a lime, then juice the lime in to the same bowl
5. Add the coriander, chilli, honey and oil and whisk
6. Mix it all together and serve

White grape juice concentrate is available in most supermarkets, often sold with the other fruit juices.

Yogurt

Get Imaginative with Yogurt

Yogurt is such a good thing for your baby to eat, but serving it each night for pudding can get a bit boring and can be the beginning of creating a fussy eater. But by using your imagination and serving up yogurt in different ways, you can encourage a little one who isn't adventurous to expand their menu.

Serving-up Yogurt?

Yogurt is a messy business. If you’re a true BLW’er then offer your little one a bowl with a spoon and watch them go – and then spend some time cleaning it up.

 Some parents find that offering yogurt on a pre-loaded spoon is a successful (and cleaner) way of serving it up. Rather than spoon-feeding the yogurt in to a waiting mouth, allow your little one to grab the spoon or your hand and guide you.

Try pre-loading a spoon with yogurt and let your little one grab on to it and guide you in.

How Yogurt Can Create a Fussy Eater

A pot of petits-filous each night after dinner is a popular dessert choice for many families. It won't be long before your child will come to expect the yogurt and protest when it doesn't appear, whilst also reducing the amount of the main meal he consumes in preparation. By eating the same foods regularly, your little one will naturally reduce the range of foods they will be willing to try.

How Yogurt Can Help a Fussy Eater

If your child is already eating yogurt, then you already have a versatile food that you know your little one will eat. By serving the yogurt in different ways, you retain the familiarity of a food whilst introducing a new element to it. By keeping one dimension of the dish constant (the inclusion of yogurt) you are encouraging your child to accept a new taste, texture or dish whilst keeping that reassurance of knowing what to expect.

Try serving the same food but in a different way.

Changing the flavour of the yogurt is one small way of introducing change to a fussy eater.  There are lots of yogurts on the market aimed at children, many containing added sugars. Why not try serving a plain full-fat natural greek-yogurt with a variety of fruit purees or banana stirred-in to liven up and mix-up the flavour. By mixing in a different fruit will vary the smell, taste, appearance and texture, all attributes which help your child learn to eat new foods. Even varying the brand of yogurt you buy will help, since no two brands will be exactly the same in way of taste or consistency.

Try St Dalfour Rhapsodie Fruit Spread (buy it in the jam section of most supermarkets) which serves as a fantastic jam-substitute and mixes in nicely with a bowl of yogurt.

Another way to encourage your child to try something new is to serve the yogurt in a different way. You may always serve it in their favourite bowl but maybe tonight serve it up in a sundae dish. These small steps towards your child eating something "new" will go a long way towards helping your fussy eater feel they can try new things

Try cutting a small melon in half  and remove the flesh then serve your yogurt in the melon skin - a different bowl adds variety to the meal. For a smaller portion, try doing a similar thing with a cucumber chunk as a mini-bowl.

Yogurt-coated raisins, nuts and fruit pieces are becoming an increasingly popular snack, however many contain more sugar than yogurt so read the packets carefully. Instead, why not create your own with our Frozen Yogurt Coated Strawberries recipe. This recipe adds a whole new dimension to yogurt as the consistency and temperature are different to a regular yogurt and can be a great way of encouraging a fussy eater to try something new, since it still has the familiarity of yogurt.

Frozen Yogurt Coated Strawberries

Strawberries

Full-fat Natural Greek Yogurt

Optional: Fruit Puree or Rhapsodie St Dalfour Fruit Spread

1. Wash the strawberries and either cut in half or serve whole
2. Strain the yogurt through a sieve to make it thicker
3. Dip the strawberries in the yogurt and lay on a sheet of baking paper (that fits in your freezer) and freeze overnight
4. Serve and enjoy (and then clean up the mess!)

My baby is lactose-intolerant, should I offer yogurt?

Babies who are lactose-intolerant are missing the enzyme lactase in their digestive system so have difficulties breaking down the sugars present in milk. The live active cultures found in yogurt actually create lactase which makes yogurt easier to digest than milk. Casein is a milk protein which many babies have an intolerance or allergy to and the active cultures in yogurt smash up this protein making it easier for your little one to digest.

It is not unusual for lactose-intolerant babies who have difficulty eating milk to digest yogurt easily.

What about Yogurt and Antibiotics?

If your child is poorly, they may be prescribed antibiotics. Antibiotics kill off all the bacteria in the body, even the good ones. Try and replenish these bacteria as they serve a purpose in keeping your little one’s digestive tract functioning healthily. Yogurt contains Acidophilus, which stimulate the resurrection of the “good bacteria”. Many adults take this as a supplement after a course of antibiotics for this reason and some parents give their child a baby-friendly version of acidophilus as a supplement also.

Yogurt is a great thing to offer your baby after they have been on antibiotics.

  

Research shows that children recover faster from diarrhoea when eating yogurt.

From what age can my baby eat yogurt?

Babies can be offered yogurt from 6 months. It shouldn’t however be used as a substitute for formula milk or breast milk.

Should I offer Yogurt or Milk for a Calcium Boost?

Yogurt and milk are great sources of calcium, essential for your baby’s growing bones. The live cultures in yogurt actually increase the absorption of calcium and so 8oz of yogurt gets more calcium in to your little one’s body than the same volume of cow’s milk.  

This only applies to weaning or weaned babies. You should never substitute yogurt for formula or breast milk.

Try serving your little one’s breakfast cereal with yogurt rather than milk for a super-calcium infusion

Yogurt is a versatile food, so be imaginative!

 Yogurt on a spoon photograph courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Sugar free medal biscuits

Sugar free medal biscuits

On your marks,
Get set,
Go!

With the 2012 London Olympics just around the corner don't run around in circles wondering what healthy snacks you can make your little ones, we have a tasty recipe just for you.

Celebrate your little one's achievements by giving them a sugar free, medal biscuit! Older children will love to help you make these scrummy biscuits by making the dough, cutting out the shapes and decorating the biscuits with ribbons and cream cheese!

• 150g self raising flour
• 50g unsalted butter
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• generous splash of apple or grape juice

Makes roughly 6-8 biscuits

1. Heat the oven to 180C, 160C fan or gas mark 4.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl, with your hands, until you have fine breadcrumbs
3. Add the juice gradually, kneading it into the breadcrumbs until you get a moist but firm dough
4. Roll out the dough onto a floured surface (remembering to flour the rolling pin too), to about a ¼ inch thickness.
5. Cut out circles and places them onto a lined or greased baking tray
6. If you are wanting to decorate some with ribbon make a hole about half an inch from the top of the biscuit
7. At this point you can chose to decorate some with raisins or other dried fruit by pressing them gently into the dough
8. Place them into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.
9. When they are baked place onto a cooling rack and leave to cool
10. Once cooled decorate with cream cheese and ribbons!

Warning – please be aware when giving young children tied ribbons.

Weaning Early

The Myths of Weaning Early

The Department of Health Guidelines state children should be weaned from 6 months but increasingly, parents are introducing solid foods earlier than this. Often this is on recommendation from a health visitor or paediatrician but if you’re making this choice as a parent, are you making it for the right reason? Whether or not you decide to wean early is your decision, but we urge you to make your decision armed with accurate information. Here are the most common reasons we hear for early weaning:

·         He’s not sleeping through the night any more - he must be hungry.

·         She’s a small baby – she needs fattening up.

·         He’s a big baby – he needs more food.

There is no link between solid food during the day and sleeping through at night.

Most of us eat plenty of food, and yet we sometimes wake in the night feeling peckish, thirsty or unsettled; maybe we just want a cuddle from the person lying next to us…so why can't babies do that?

All babies are different. Some children have a tiny appetite and sleep through, and have done from a very young age. Some children eat loads and still wake for one reason or another.

From 6-12 months, food is for fun, and your little one is trying to figure out how to eat efficiently. Yes, children have to learn to understand feelings of hunger, satiety and to regulate their food intake in response to these feelings. Babies who are allowed to explore their food and feed themselves will probably eat less to begin with than those being spoon-fed. However, they will be drinking more milk to balance this out and so should be no more or less hungry than spoon-fed babies. Over the period of 6-12 months, your child will naturally reduce their milk feeds as they learn to eat their solid food.

Milk has many more calories than the portions of solid food we often offer babies.

Consider the number of calories in full-fat milk and the number of calories in some spoon-fed carrot.

• There are around 30 calories in 1 carrot. It is pure carbohydrate and is digested very quickly.
• There are around 150 calories in 250ml (8oz) of whole milk. It contains fat and protein and is digested slowly, so it sits in the tummy, filing up your child for longer.

Can you see how weaning on these common traditional foods (carrot puree for example) could lead to waking at night? Your child might be hungry as they fill up their tummies on quick-digesting carbohydrate, which leaves less room for a good-sized, slow-digesting milk feed before bed.

Waking at night can be a sign of your child learning about food volumes.

As your self-feeding child learns about volumes of food, they will often get it wrong – but getting it wrong is a natural part of the learning process. So, sometimes they will under-eat (and may wake in the night feeling hungry) and sometimes they will overeat (and may throw-up).

Waking at night can be unrelated to what your child is eating.

Waking in the night could be due to a developmental spurt and nothing to do with hunger. Sleep regression is common at 8-9 months, as children learn to crawl, walk, pull-up to standing or are teething. You may find them standing up in their cot crying, as they haven’t yet learned how to get back down. They may kick or fling their arms around in their sleep as their nerves myelinate and they rehearse their new moves, embedding these actions in to their neural pathways.

Eating is always a decision, nobody forces your hand to pick up food and put it into your mouth...

Albert Ellis, Michael Abrams, Lidia Dengelegi, The Art & Science of Rational Eating, 1992

Vitamin Drops

 “Rickets in the Rich”

Do I need Vitamin Drops?

It sounds a bit far-fetched in a westernised society but sadly, it’s true. In Southampton 2010, Professor Clarke (Orthopaedic Surgeon) assessed 200 randomly selected children and found that 20% required intervention.  Prof. Clarke commented “In my 22 years at Southampton General Hospital, this is a completely new occurrence in the south that has evolved over the last 12 to 24 months and we are seeing cases across the board, from areas of deprivation up to the middle classes, so there is a real need to get national attention focused on the dangers this presents”. (See full article here: tinyurl.com/cua7s28)

Many parents are aware of the importance of calcium in their child’s diet in order to maintain healthy bones. However, without Vitamin D, calcium can’t be absorbed from the digestive tract and used. In other words, you can eat plenty of calcium but without vitamin D, it can’t be used.

The Department of Health recommend all children from six months to five years old are given supplements, in the form of vitamin drops containing vitamins A, C and D (DoH, Feb 2012).  But....if your child is on more than 500ml formula milk then they don’t need a vitamin drop as formulas are fortified with these. If you are breastfeeding and didn’t take a vitamin D supplement during pregnancy then you may be advised by your health visitor to give your child a vitamin drop from the age of 1 month.

Sources of Vitamin D

The best source of vitamin D is the sunshine bouncing off your little one’s skin as they play outdoors. Continue to take the necessary precautions of using sunscreen and cover up appropriately before your child shows any signs of burning.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it can be stored in the liver and fatty tissues so it doesn’t need to be eaten as often as water-soluble vitamins - this is why you only hear the term 5-a day applied to fruit and veg rather than to steak or fish. Vitamin D is, however, quite hard to come by and only occurs naturally in a few foods:

• oily fish (salmon, tuna and mackerel)
• egg yolks
• certain brands of fat-spreads, breakfast cereals

Sadly, Vitamin D isn’t present in the foods many children seem to be drawn to, such as sausage, beans and chips!

In an age where pre-packaged meals are prevailing over home-cooked dinners and there is a dependence on technology (e.g. ipod apps and children’s 24 hour TV channels), in our experience, many children dictate to their parents which foods they will and won’t eat, therefore limiting their diet. It is therefore easy to see how Vitamin D deficiency can easily occur in any child.

Vitamin Drops

Your health visitor or GP can give advice on vitamin drops and tell you where to get them. You’re entitled to free vitamin drops if you qualify for Healthy Start. Speak to a pharmacist before you buy your vitamin drops, as many are combined with other vitamins and having too much of some vitamins can be harmful for children.

Sugar-free Olympic Breadstick Medals

Olympic Medals

Everyone's a winner with these sugar-free olympic ring breadstick medals.
  
Ingredients

·         250ml hot water

·         2 big glugs of olive oil

·         350g bread flour

·         2-4 garlic cloves (crushed)

·         1-2 tsp basil

·         ½ tsp rosemary

·         2 tsp yeast

·         1 tsp unsalted butter

·         3 tbsp parmesan cheese (optional)

 Breadmaker Method:

1. Chuck all the ingredients in a breadmaker (wet ingredients first)  and select a “dough” setting
2. Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and shape in to rings
3. Leave to rise in a warm area for 30-40 minutes until doubled in size
4. Pre-heat the oven to 180C (350F) Gas 4
5. Place the breadsticks on a grease baking tray, leaving a bit of space around each for them to fluff up some more
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown

Traditional Method

1. In a small bowl, mix the water and yeast and leave to stand for 10 minutes
2. Separately, in a large bowl mix together the oil, garlic, basil, rosemary and parmesan (if using)
3. To the large bowl add the yeast mixture
4. Then add the flour
5. Knead the dough for around 10 minutes on a floured surface until it’s smooth, soft and elastic and shape in to rings
6. Leave to rise in a warm area for 30-40 minutes until doubled in size
7. Pre-heat the oven to 180C (350F) Gas 4
8. Place the breadsticks on a grease baking tray, leaving a bit of space around each for them to fluff up some more
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown

Tip: Melt some butter with garlic and brush the breadsticks with them about 5 minutes before the end for an extra garlic hit