It can be hard to know what to do about a fussy eater in the house.  Start with these three tips for a fussy eater and then go from there.  Some children are quite sensitive and need much more help than this to overcome their fear of particular foods.  Others just need the right conditions and a parent who trusts that they’ll get there…and they do!

The tips

1. Don’t give up on the food.  Keep serving a tiny bit a few times a week.  It might be that you have to eat that food a bit more often so you can serve a tiny bit of yours each time, to avoid wastage.  Only put out enough for a taste – don’t expect them to actually eat it…at first!  It might take weeks or even months but it will inevitably happen.  A child can only learn to like the foods they have been given to try.

2. Keep in mind, the best way to entice a child to eat is for them to see you eating it…..

3. Slow and steady wins the race.  Absolutely no pressure to eat.  Your job is just to keep serving it and encourage your child to interact with it by looking at it, smelling it, touching it, giving it a lick/taste – but no pressure to eat.  Your child’s sensory system needs time to get used to a new food.  Even if they’ve eaten cooked carrot, raw carrot is as good as going back a good few steps, as far as their sensory system is concerned.

Persist with these and before you know it, your child will miraculously be eating the food and you will have saved all the battles!!  Do keep in mind everyone has a particular food they just don’t like and kids will take longer to get their tastebuds around say broccoli or brussel sprouts! 🙂

Where are you at with your little one?  Do you think these tips will help?  Or do you need A LOT more help to get going?

In patience and more vegetables thrown at me

Heidi

Hello friend!

I am Heidi Hosking.  I am the creator of The Healthy Caterpillar.

About my skills and knowledge

I am a Speech Pathologist and Health Coach (IIN).

More recently, I have completed Level 1 Touch for Health Kinesiology.

As a Speech Pathologist, I have worked with sensitive children for over 10 years.  From children in Aboriginal communities in the Cape York of Australia, to children with disabilities with amazing potential, to children who are very bright and sensitive.  I have been trained by the best of the best internationally in fussy and very picky eating (including the ‘SOS approach’, if that means anything to you!).

As a certified Health Coach, I educate parents how diet, chemicals and food sensitivities affect our children’s ‘true’ potential and instead contribute to the common, but not normal, childhood health issues (sleep, skin, behavioural and digestive issues and low immunity…and more!).

Please note : I refer to appropriate health professionals where needed for further nutritional advice and testing, as needed.

I have used this extensive experience as a Speech Pathologist (the fussy eater side) and Health Coach (the diet side) to help countless families:

• Move their children along my fussy eater roadmap
• Move from less than 10 foods to decent variety
• Improve and/or eradicate their child’s health issues
• Identify food sensitivities
• Convert children to diets that make their children strong
• Eliminate sugar and food additives
• Achieve peaceful mealtimes

As a mum of two sensitive new age boys, I have been through the exhaustion, anxiety and stress myself.  I was also given two children that have made me seek the answers to unlock their ‘true’ health and potential.  I’ve dealt with:

• the sleepless child
• the eczema/skin lesions/steroid creams/antibiotics
• the ‘ADHD/Asperger’s’ one
• the fussy eaters
• the mega meltdowns
• the constant sickness (and no sick leave from work)
• the doubters
• the fatigue
• the conflict trying to work out as parents, what on earth to do, with no one to guide us
• the feeling that we were the only ones

[Take a look at Hayden’s story to see how far we’ve come!]

I have made lunchboxes for both boys on diets from fructose-free to grainfree to Paleo and the Failsafe elimination diet.  I have used my Fussy Eater Roadmap to encourage them from fussy eaters to being healthy, adventurous eaters.

About me, behind the scenes (in case you’re wondering!)

I live on the Sunshine Coast, Australia, with my husband and two boys.

• I love to be in nature
• I’m drawn to toucans and rainbow lorikeets
• I like to think of myself as a world explorer
• I was an exchange student for a year in Brazil
• I love to have fun and would play board games and party games all day if I could
• I love to teach, help and support others
• Children light me up!

About my mission

My mission is to inspire parents to take a stand for their childrens’ health by :

• understanding the link between diet/environment and current and future health
• supporting parents to create healthy, adventurous eaters
• guiding parents to make changes to their belief systems around food and raising children, that align with their sensitive new age children
• encouraging parents to use their intuition.  No one knows better…
• modeling my path of learning….to creating vibrant children! 

I am hearing the many parents out there, wanting to enjoy their bright and sensitive ones.  But instead are feeling confused, overwhelmed and exhausted at trying to deal with today’s childhood health issues, even from newborn status let alone fussy eaters and their sensitivities.

With my unique experience, I have helped countless families to move towards healthy, adventurous eaters and create vibrant children for themselves.  I want to help your family too!

I hope to inspire you to help your child achieve their potential through health and well-being too.  Make sure you sign up for Caterpillar Mail (and snaffle your free e-kit ‘Get off the Sickness Cycle : 11 steps to build your child’s immunity’) so you can stay in my exciting loop!

I’m so glad you’ve connected!
Heidi x