Eating – some practical tips

  • Take lots of time for shared meals, sit at the table with your child without the TV being switched on or other distractions. Your child has his/her own place in the high chair where they can concentrate on eating
  • Provide meals which take place at regular times.
  • Create a relaxed atmosphere where everyone has time to finish the meal and may also leave something on the plate if they are not very hungry. Don’t prolong meals, though. After 30 minutes, the meal should be over. Then it’s playtime again!
  • Children’s appetites are different from day to day, so don’t force them to eat up.
  • Avoid snacks between meals if possible as they reduce the appetite for a proper meal.
  • When out and about in a pram, your child needs to be kept busy, but not necessarily with something to eat. Instead, give them a toy to play with, not something to drink or eat all the time.
  • Lay down table rules from the beginning.
  • Let your child watch your cook, and as they get older, let them help. This way, children can develop a sense of enjoying food and learning that eating is fun.
  • Encourage your child’s development. Don’t give them a bottle to drink from anymore; your child should learn to drink all drinks from a cup now.