Food and Health Guidelines - Torfaen Family Information Service

4. Developing positive eating habits
How to Introduce
Babies to Food
Good early eating habits can help to limit
some simple nutritional problems later on
in healthy children, such as faddy eating,
faltering growth, constipation, iron deficiency
anaemia and obesity. During this stage,
infants should be introduced to new tastes
and textures and this should also be a messy
time for the baby.
Children do not have an inborn ability to
select a balanced and nutritious diet 29 and
unfortunately, the foods that children like
most are rarely of high nutritional value.
They prefer sugary and fatty foods and
generally rate vegetables amongst their
least favourite foods. Perhaps the most
important determinant of a child’s liking for
a particular food is the extent to which it is
familiar. Simply, children like what they know
and eat what they like. Between 12 months
and 3 years food preferences are becoming
established and a toddler begins to have a
decisive say in food selection in the home
environment.
Carers in childcare settings can help to
reduce food faddiness and promote healthy
eating practices.
How to encourage good eating habits
• Plan snack and meal times. Young children need to have structure to their day and this
applies to planning times for eating and drinking. Snacks are best given well before
meal times to avoid spoiling their appetite.
• Do eat with children as often as possible.
• Allow plenty of time to eat: give children enough time to eat a meal and snack. This is
around 30 minutes for a meal and 15 minutes for a snack.
• Children over two could be allowed to serve themselves, under supervision, as this may
encourage them to try different kinds of food.
• To develop social skills it is good practice for carers to sit with children when they are
eating and to eat the same foods and drinks (where appropriate). Carers should be a
positive role model. For example, children can learn from carers about table manners
and can practice their speaking and listening skills. They can also learn to respect
others, offering and sharing food and tasting and trying foods from different cultures.
• Carers should chat to the children during mealtimes and mealtimes can also be the time
to talk about healthy eating.
• Carers should encourage children to try all the food offered to them.
• Praise children when they eat well.
• Give finger foods as often as possible.
• Link menus with activities taking place in your setting.
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