Here - Health Promotion Agency

Feeding your child
• If your child fills up with juice or
squash between meals and refuses
milk or a snack, try gradually
reducing the amount, diluting the
drink well with water, and offer a
small amount of food first.
Sometimes too, children mistake
thirst for hunger and say they are
thirsty when really they are
hungry.
•
Try to make mealtimes enjoyable
and not just about eating.
Sit down and have a chat
about other things.
• If you know of any other children
of the same age who are good
eaters, ask them to tea. A good
example sometimes works, so
long as you don’t go on about
how good the other children are.
•
Ask another adult, whom your
child likes, to eat with you.
Sometimes a child will eat for,
say, a grandparent without any
fuss. It may only be for one meal
but it can break the habit.
• Your child may just be a naturally
slow eater, so lots of patience will
be needed.
•
Children’s tastes change. One day
they’ll hate something, a month
later they’ll love it. There will
nearly always be enough that your
child is willing to eat for some
variety (say beans, fish fingers and
fruit, potatoes with milk to
drink). It may be boring, but it’s
perfectly healthy.
PARTY TIME!
Parties are a great time for children
to experience different types of
foods. It’s a special occasion, so offer
foods normally kept for treats as well
as some familiar everyday foods.
Try some of the following healthy
party food ideas.
• Fill tiny sandwiches and cut them
into different shapes. Use fillings
that cut easily – wafer thin ham,
cheddar cheese, cheese spread,
egg mayonnaise, etc.
•
Offer bowls of plain popcorn,
breadsticks, carrot sticks and baby
tomatoes.
• Make reduced-sugar jellies and
add canned mandarins or slices
of fresh fruit.
•
Offer one or two diluted fruit
juices to drink rather than
carbonated drinks.
• Fruit scones or fruit malt loaf
need minimal preparation.
•
Decorate small plain biscuits or
crackers with cheese spread and a
small piece of fresh or canned
fruit to add colour.
• Serve ice-cream with fresh
or canned fruit in juice.
•
Don’t forget the birthday cake
for the end of the meal.
85