Colson Cable doesn't know it yet, but his parents are setting him up for a lifetime of good nutrition. Opportunities and patience are all that are required.
That's what guides Austin and Tiffany Cable of Anderson. They've had practice raising their other children, Brailynne, 7, and Emberleigh, 5. Now Colson, just 7 months old, is starting to explore the world of solid foods.
A few important strategies that expose him to tastes and textures are working to keep mealtime pleasurable - not to mention Colson and his sisters healthy.
Like is common for some children, no matter the efforts of his parents, Colson might grow out of his toddler years with only a short list of preferred foods. Like with other children, his eating habits might ebb and flow. He might not eat his broccoli or much of other things at times.
The important thing is that the child is growing well, according to Dr. Jonelle Oronzio and Dr. Zoza Grace Spears of AnMed Pediatrics - Beltline Boulevard.
"In general, if they're eating foods from each food group and they're growing well, there's no need for concern," Dr. Oronzio said. "If they're refusing entire food groups or seem to have difficulty chewing or swallowing their food, it's time for a visit. Their doctor can follow their growth curves more closely, monitor for any nutritional deficiencies and screen for other issues that may be causing the behavior."
Don't fight your child over their eating habits, but don't give up
"I typically tell parents that it is normal for kids to be picky eaters," said Dr. Spears. "Especially toddlers, they tend to have more of a three-day cycle of eating instead of a three-meal cycle of eating. A parent may notice that their child eats great one day, picks the next, and eats nothing the next day - and this is completely normal. The cycle then tends to restart.
"I also compare giving a child's favorite food to them to get them to eat with someone giving me my favorite doughnut. Even if I'm not hungry, I'm probably eating the doughnut!"
But if a child just tends to be a picky eater, often the response is to provide exposure to new foods, often and repeatedly.
"A child's brain must try a new food 15 to 20 times before it can decide if it likes that food or not," Dr. Spears said. "Offering the same foods again may have different results, even if they turned up their nose at it the first time. It's important to introduce new foods early on and to keep trying new foods. There is really no taste or flavor that is off-limits, except that children under 1 year of age may not have honey. If a child is very picky and the parent or physician thinks it may be linked to sensory issues, then feeding therapy with occupational therapy can be really beneficial."
Eat meals together and pair preferred foods with those not preferred
Gathering around the dinner table can be tough when schedules are hectic, but it is worth the effort to do as often as possible, and it can help children try new foods.
"When we're having family meal times, which are so important, we want to have a preferred food - always something we know they're going to eat - and then a non-preferred food," Dr. Oronzio said.
But don't make it a battle of wills. Dr. Oronzio said trying to control eating can cause frustration, and ultimately, it's a battle that parents won't win. The goal is to expose children to new foods and offer choices, with the aim of having a healthy relationship with food.
"They have the food that you know they'll eat, so that one's not going to be a fight, and then you have the food that they don't like, and the goal is to get them to interact with that food. If that's smelling it, if it's pushing it around on the plate, if it's touching it, that's fine," Dr. Oronzio said. "If it is putting it in their mouth and spitting it out, that's OK, too. Repeat exposures get them more comfortable with that food without making it a battle."
And while they're at the table, Dr. Oronzio encourages families to focus on eating and being together in a mindful way, without TV or phones, which can serve as a distraction.
The Cables try to have family dinner time as often as they can, and even though Colson is new to solid foods, his dad said the idea is taking hold.
"It does seem like he knows at this point that we're sitting down to eat," Cable said. "He's like, 'Wait, I'm also hungry right now.' So the timing of that can be fun."
Engage older children in shopping and cooking
"It's great to give kids some ownership and a feeling of control by letting them pick out new foods they want to try," Dr. Oronzio said. "If it's a kid who doesn't really like fruits or vegetables, I'll tell them to go to the grocery store with their adult, walk around the produce section and find something that looks cool to try. If it's an older kid, they can look up recipes they want to try and let them be involved in the cooking process in an age-appropriate way."
Limit snacks and liquid calories
Too many snacks mean kids show up at mealtimes when they are not hungry, Dr. Oronzio said.
"A lot of kids that are picky eaters are big snackers, and if you're not hungry, you're going to be a lot less likely to try something new or to eat a food that's maybe not your favorite," she said.
Parents should avoid giving their children juice, offering the whole fruit instead, and be careful about substituting milk for meals after the first year of life, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies.
Have fun with feeding - really
With three young children, the Cable family has learned that seasons change and stages will pass.
"I would say that the best thing to do is to not be too serious about it," Austin Cable said. "Make it fun for them That's going to take a lot of the stress off of you, because it doesn't need to be stressful. Don't worry about the mess until you're done. Don't worry about any of that. Just focus on making it fun for them.
"I find that if you make things fun for children, then they're a lot less resistant to doing them."