Taste Of Independence: Supporting your toddler’s independent eating

Infant and toddler eating habits seem to change in the blink of an eye. One day they request nothing but scrambled eggs for every meal, and the next, they won’t touch the stuff.The same can be true of how a toddler eats. If your child, who is normally content with you spoon feeding them mashed fruits, suddenly protests the incoming “airplane” or, better yet, wants to fly the plane herself, it might be a good time to encourage independent eating.

What is Independent Eating?

Up until this point, your child was either nursed or bottle fed, then graduated to a high chair where they could experiment with early foods, such as baby cereals and other softened food like bananas, avocados, and yogurt. They may have been using their whole hand to grab food, or graduated on to the pincer grasp (using just their thumb and pointer finger) to pick up small pieces of food.As an infant’s tastes mature and their skills develop, so does their interest in trying a wider variety of foods that they can feed themselves. Some signs to look out for include:

• Refusing pureed food.

• Reaching for food on your plate.

• Grabbing for the spoon or fork when you try to feed them.

By around 12 months old, toddlers are able to hold a spoon and pick up food with their fingers—although successfully scooping food and getting it in their mouth may come later. Regardless, this is a great time to encourage and practice these skills.

Foods to Try

Eating involves both senses (how it feels and smells) and chewing skills. It is important to offer a variety of textures to learn chewing skills. All food must be cut small enough to not pose as a choking hazard. You’ll want to select foods that can either: melt in their mouths (such as dry cereals), is naturally soft or mushy, and can be gummed easily. Here are some ideas for fun first finger foods:

• Small bites of cheese

• Squares of bread

• Well-cooked pasta

• Chunks of soft fruits, including bananas, sliced blueberries, or peaches

• Scrambled eggs

For a list of foods that are possible choking hazards, click here.Infants and toddlers learn so much by observing their parents and older siblings. As much as possible, keep your child’s mealtimes the same as the rest of the family’s, and strive for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and two snacks together. However, some busy toddlers struggle with sitting at the table. During these periods, try a flexible approach and offer food in a variety of locations (so long as they are being supervised and sitting to avoid choking), such as a picnic lunch in the backyard or snacks while reading books in the living room.As you may already know, feeding tiny humans is messy business—and it’s likely to get a whole lot messier while they learn to feed themselves. Although it’s not easy, many parents come to embrace the messiness while their children learn through trial-and-error how to use a spoon. In the meantime, don’t be surprised to find spoonfuls of cottage cheese in your child’s lap!Other tips for successful mealtimes include:

• Have your child’s food ready to eat before you sit them in their high chair.

• Serve small portions and let them ask for more.

• Try not to fill up on drinks, such as juice or milk, before a meal.

• Introduce one new food at a time.

• If a new food is disliked, try introducing it again in another 2 weeks.

Encouraging Independent Eating

Food is fun and the ultimate goal is to get your toddler eating the same foods as the rest of the family.

• Offer foods they can pick up with their fingers.

• Give your toddler a baby spoon to experiment with. Greek yogurt and rice cereals stick to spoons well and provide less mess and frustration.

• Offer extra praise and support during mealtime.

Never force your toddler to try a new food. It’s a parent's job is to provide healthy food regularly, and the child's job to decide what and how much of those foods to eat. We can teach self-regulation and good eating habits this way.Expect the unexpected when it comes to feeding your toddler. There are a variety of things that can affect their appetite, including growth spurts, teething, sickness, and learning new skills (like walking). Offering patience and flexibility during this time helps keep mealtime fun and enjoyable for the whole family. This article is brought to you by Parenting Now! Parenting Educators and authors Amanda Bedortha, Claire Davis and Lynne Swartz and consultant Jay Thompson (andupdatemywebsite.com).  Parenting Now! is passionate about happy, healthy families. For more information about Parenting Now! please visit their website (https://parentingnow.org/) or contact us at info@parentingnow.org

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