Children's Nutrition for Fussy Eaters

We all know children require a balanced and nutrition-rich diet for growth, function and proper development.

Research in almost every facet of children’s development highlights the need for wholesome eating.

But often, this isn’t as easy in practice

If you find children’s lunchboxes have you ripping your hair out or are coming home full, read on…

First up, we suggest a whole-food approach to eating from a very early age to help establish healthy eating habits from the get go. Too, being a healthy eating role model yourself. It’s integral to ensuring your child develops a strong foundation for eating well and a good relationship with food.

So where to begin? 

1. Good Sources of Protein

Proteins are the building blocks of all body tissues. Ensure your child is having good quality sources of protein throughout the day, such as free range eggs and chicken, grass fed red meat, legumes, fish, quinoa, ground nuts and seeds.

• Don’t give up – be patient and positive – as hard as this can sometimes be! Offer new foods a little bit at a time, a number of times.
• Involve children in the process. Make it fun and interesting. Grow a veggie patch or take your child to the fruit and veggie shop and talk about the foods. Focus on the colour – “How about we try green foods.”
• Offer the new food with familiar foods your child loves. For example, roasted potatoes with roasted sweet potatoes and carrots. Add just a little bit of the new food so your child’s attention isn’t drawn straight to it.
• Encourage them to try the new food by saying things like, “Take a little bite and if you don’t like it, that’s okay.”
• Present vegetables and fruit in a variety of ways. Try their natural shape, steamed, mashed, chopped up very small and cut into shapes using cookie cutters.
• Work with the styles of foods that your child enjoys – smoothies, colours, things to dip, eating with their hands, choosing their own plate and cutlery, and use silly names for foods. e.g. Monster slime for a green smoothie.
•  “Hide” nutrients if you are finding it difficult to get your child to eat a substantial amount. Vegetable hummus and 

• Veggie frittatas made with vegetables chopped very small
• Brownies, muffins and cakes made with sweet potato, zucchini, pumpkin, banana or carrot
• Smoothies blended with fruit, spinach, zucchini and gelatin powder
• Add gelatin powder to cooked meals
• Use gelatin powder to make ‘gummies’
• Use bone broth as a base for sauces
• Grate/puree veggies and/or sprinkle seaweed flakes through meals like spaghetti
• Roll vegetables in dukkah seasoning and roast
• Stir-fry! Many fussy eaters actually like a stir-fry as there is a range of other flavours to focus on!