Meal time is usually pleasant for most families, as everyone comes together to enjoy good food and conversation. But this may only sometimes be the case when you have a toddler and a picky eater!
There are some picky eaters whose preferences make it challenging for parents to come up with fitting meals and snacks for their toddlers. How do you take into account your toddler’s preferences as well as their nutritional needs?
Here, we cover essential topics such as:
How to manage a picky eater toddler who is also a perfectionist Picky Eater? That’s right! There are four types of picky eaters – Sensory-Dependent Eaters, Preferential Eaters, Behavioral Responders, and General Perfectionists (Perfectionist Picky Eaters) – and you can find out which type your little one is by taking this fun quiz.
If you’ve determined that your child is a Perfectionist Picky Eater, we have some options for you! Here’s how to deal with picky eater toddler.
The Perfectionist Picky Eater
And if your little one is a Perfectionist Picky Eater (also known as General Perfectionists)1, it means that they have a few unique traits when it comes to eating. These include having particular preferences like foods not touching each other and little variety in their diet. Given this, it’s normal for parents to worry that their child is not getting adequate nutrition and missing out on essential vitamins like A, B, C, D, and E, as well as important minerals such as zinc, calcium, iodine, potassium and iron.
However, knowing the type of picky eater your child is means that you can create a balanced meal plan for them that still caters to their food preferences while delivering adequate nutrition.
Check out our toddler picky eater solutions, which include delicious and nutritious meal ideas.
The following meal plan is for a Perfectionist, Picky Eater.
Recipes for Your Perfectionist Toddler Picky Eater
Breakfast: White Beehoon Soup
With its uniform, mostly pale colours, yet varied nourishing ingredients, white bee hoon soup is a clever addition to your perfectionist picky eater’s diet. The prawns in this soup contain nutrients including B vitamins, calcium, and iron,2 ideal for boosting a growing child’s health and development. And we all know that eggs, a breakfast staple, are packed with various nutrients like protein, fat, vitamin D, choline, and folate.3 This recipe is adapted from The Asian Food Network.4
Ingredients
-
250g bee hoon (rice vermicelli) soaked for 10 minutes, then drained
-
8 prawns (cut into small pieces, if needed)
-
2 squids (cut into circles or small pieces, if required)
-
20g chye sim (cut into 5 cm lengths)
-
½ yellow onion (sliced)
-
2 eggs (beaten)
-
2 cloves garlic (minced)
-
15g bean sprouts
-
2 stalks spring onion (cut in 10 cm lengths)
-
2 tablespoons fish sauce
-
1 tablespoons sesame oil
-
400ml fish broth
-
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
-
Heat vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. Add sliced onions and garlic, and sauté.
-
Add prawns and cook until slightly pink.
-
Add the chye sim stalks and spring onion sections, and sauté.
-
Add the soaked bee hoon and squid, and toss together
-
Pour in the fish sauce and half the fish stock and stir. Allow the noodles to simmer and absorb the liquid. Add more fish stock if needed.
Push the noodles aside, and pour in the beaten eggs. Scramble and stir to combine. Serve warm.
Lunch: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Simple, delicious, and healthy, spaghetti aglio e olio could turn into a staple lunch item for your Perfectionist Picky Eater. The chopped parsley gives this a tiny splash of colour, while the parmesan cheese provides texture. This meal is best to be consumed when paired with the meat or vegetables of your choice.
Ingredients
-
A handful of thin spaghetti (as much as your child will eat)
-
2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
-
2 garlic cloves, sliced
-
Parmesan cheese
-
Finely chopped parsley
Instructions
-
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente (still slightly firm yet cooked).
-
In a saucepan, heat the oil. Sauté the garlic until golden brown.
-
Put a tablespoon or two of the starchy pasta water into the saucepan. Drain the spaghetti, then add to the saucepan.
-
Mix in a generous amount of grated parmesan to coat the spaghetti with a cheesy sauce.
-
Add a pinch of salt. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle the chopped parsley and some cheese.
Snack: Strawberry Banana Smoothie with Enfagrow PRO A+
A smoothie is an ideal way to introduce a bit of colour (and nourishment) to a Perfectionist, Picky Eater. This strawberry banana smoothie contains a rich mix of vitamins and minerals, like vitamin C, potassium from the strawberries and banana, and calcium from the milk. Making the smoothie with Enfagrow PRO A+ provides iron and zinc, which support your child's natural defences and overall development.
Ingredients
-
1 banana
-
4-5 strawberries
-
1 cup of Enfagrow PRO A+ formula milk
Instructions
Put everything in a blender and mix until smooth. Give it to your little one in a tall cup with a paper straw.
Dinner: Teriyaki Salmon
Salmon is a powerhouse of nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, protein, iron, iodine, and more.6 Teriyaki salmon is an easy-to-make and healthy option to handle picky eater needs. Pair this delectable dish with some rice or noodles, and vegetables to make it a proper balanced meal.
Ingredients
-
1 salmon steak
-
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
-
1 clove minced garlic
-
2 tablespoons sesame oil
-
White sesame seeds
Instructions
-
Marinate the salmon in the teriyaki sauce and minced garlic for at least 30 minutes.
-
Heat the oil in a saucepan. When it’s hot, place the salmon in it, skin-side down.
-
Sear the skin until brown and crispy, flip the fish over and cook for a few more minutes until done.
-
Sprinkle it with sesame seeds and serve with some warm white rice.
Dealing with a picky eater and trying to figure out what to do? In addition to tailoring healthy menu plans based on the type of picky eater your little one is, you could complement the nutrition they get from these meals with Enfagrow PRO A+ milk formula. Enfagrow PRO A+ could also help make up for nutrients your picky eater might miss out on.
Enfagrow PRO A+ contains a unique blend of nutrients to support your child’s overall mental and physical development. These include MFGM (Milk Fat Globule Membrane) and 2’-FL (2′-Fucosyllactose). Also, with 360° DHA Plus that helps meet your child’s recommended daily DHA intake. * Complemented with Iron and Zinc that help support your child’s natural defences ^ and Prebiotic FOS (Fructooligosaccharides), which promotes the growth of good Bifidus bacteria to help maintain a healthy digestive system. There is no added sugar in Enfagrow PRO A+.
Other meal plans
For a meal plan tailored to the needs of a Sensory Dependent Picky Eater, click here.
For a meal plan tailored to the needs of a Preferential Picky Eater, click here.
For a meal plan tailored to the needs of a Behavioural Picky Eater, click here.
Related articles:
Expert Resource:
Dr. Veena Angle
MBBS, MD (Medical Doctor),
CMPP (Certified Medical Publication Professional), Singapore
-
Picky eaters are not all alike. Russo, F. Scientific American. Published on July 1, 2015. Retrieved on December 6, 2021 from, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/picky-eaters-are-not-all-alike/
-
Are prawns good for you? Shubrook, N. BBC Good Food. Retrieved on December 6, 2021 from, https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/are-prawns-good-you
-
Eggs – What do they contain? New Zealand Nutrition Foundation. Last modified on 11/09/20. Retrieved on December 6, 2021 from, https://nutritionfoundation.org.nz/nutrition-facts/nutrition-a-z/eggs-what-do-eggs-contain-
-
Seafood White Beehoon. Asian Food Network. Retrieved on December 6, 2021 from, https://asianfoodnetwork.com/en/recipes/cuisine/chinese/seafood-white-beehoon.html
-
Brain Foods for Children. HealthXchange.sg (SingHealth). Retrieved on December 14, 2021 from, https://www.healthxchange.sg/children/food-nutrition/brain-foods-children-fish-dha
-
Top 5 Health Benefits of Salmon. Lewin, J. BBC Good Food. Retrieved on 6 December, 2021 from, https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-salmon
^Zinc and iron support your child’s natural defences for children up to 6 years of age.
*FAO/WHO recommends daily dietary DHA intake of 10-12 mg/kg body weight for children 12-24 months or 100-150 mg DHA+EPA for children 2 years old and above, 150-200 mg DHA+EPA for children 4 years old and above, 200-250 mg DHA+EPA for children 6-10 years old. Reference: FAO 2010. Fats and fatty acids in human nutrition. Report of an expert consultation. FAO Food and Nutrition Paper no. 91. FAO:Rome.
▲Terms and Conditions apply.
