What should I feed my picky eater?

Moms, we hear you. We know you get anxious if your kid is not getting enough nutrition. We feel your worry when your picky eater refuses to eat fruits and vegetables and prefers fries more than rice.

Your concern is completely understandable because nutrition is essential in supporting proper growth and development, especially in childhood. Studies show that the most common cause of faltering growth is inadequate intake of protein, energy, and micro-nutrients¹. Hence, the slower growth and development of kids^1,2-5.

Some kids tend to be picky about their food and eat less of what they should. But as they grow, they still need the energy and nutrients from a balanced diet.

Moms, the best way to ensure that your kids get a wide range of vital nutrients from the smaller portions they eat is to introduce more nutrient-dense foods into their meals.

Let’s look at the top nutrient-dense foods for kids, and some tips to make mealtimes less stressful for both parent and kids.

Foods packed with the most nutrition

• Protein-rich foods

Kids need protein for building, maintaining, and repairing the tissues in their bodies, strengthening the immune system, and providing energy to support growth. Protein is the building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, and skin.

You can ensure that your kids get enough protein by feeding them:

• Eggs
• Milk and milk products such as yogurt, energy-dense kid’s milk, and cheese
• Lean meat
• Fish (preferably oily fish such as tuna, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies)
• Poultry
• Legumes, nuts, and seeds
• High-quality carbohydrates

Wholegrains (such as brown rice, noodles, oats, quinoa, barley, and whole wheat bread) and tubers (potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, and tapioca) are rich in carbohydrates and provide kids with the energy they need to grow and develop. Lactose, which is present in some kid’s milk, is also a carbohydrate source.

• Fruits and vegetables 

For healthy bodily development, feed your kids plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are not only sources of many essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, but also good sources of fiber.

Different fruits and vegetables contain different vitamins and minerals, so the more different types your kid’s eats, the better their nutritional intake will be. Berries, for example, are rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants, while avocados are rich in fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Leafy green vegetables are a good source of folate. If your kids are reluctant to eat it, here are some creative ways to add them to their diet:

• Disguise spinach in food by adding them to omelettes or lasagna.
• Slip some raw green leafy salads and sandwiches.
• Turn kangkong into chips! Take water spinach (kangkong), coat it with a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle a small amount of salt, and then bake until crispy.

Kids need healthy fats in their diet to support normal growth and development. Fats are an essential component of healthy development.

Great sources of healthy fats include:

• Avocados
• Olive oil, Butter
• Fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, and mackerel
• Eggs
• Coconut
• Nuts/seeds
• Growing up milk can also be good sources of healthy fats

Tips to improve your kid’s nutrition

Moms, early eating habits can influence how kids eat as they get older. That’s why it’s so important to introduce healthy foods as early as possible. By making a few simple changes and modelling a positive attitude toward healthy food choices, you can make a big difference in your kid’s nutrition and overall health.

Here are some tips on how you can get your kids to eat more healthy foods:

Use the Pinggang Pinoy as a guide for a balanced diet: 

• Divide the plate in half, with one side dedicated to protein and carbohydrates. Fill more than half of this side with wholegrains like rice, noodles, bread, cereals, cereal products, or tubers. The remaining portion should be allocated to protein-rich foods. On the other side of the plate, fill it with fruits and vegetables. Ensure that more than half of this side is comprised of vegetables, while the rest is reserved for fruits.

Here are some local dishes that help fulfill the Pinggang Pinoy concept: Rice with grilled fish and vegetables, pinakbet, wholegrain pandesal with egg and banana, pork sinigang with rice.

• Avoid processed foods such as pastries, cookies, candy, canned meat, sugary beverages, etc. Your kid might find these foods tasty and satisfying, but these are usually high in fat, sugar, and salt, and are poor in essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies.
• Make sure that your kid drinks plenty of water to keep them hydrated, carry the nutrients, and flush out toxins.
• Try to make your meals at home - that way, you know exactly what’s in your food, and can cut back on processed foods.
• Moms, it can be frustrating to see your kid being choosy about food but avoid using negative language and pressuring your kid to eat during mealtimes. You don’t want mealtimes to be a battle zone and your kid to see food as the “enemy”.
• The best way to encourage your kids to eat healthy is by being a healthy-eating role model yourself. Kids learn by watching, so when your kids see you enjoying vegetables regularly, for instance, they are more likely to develop a preference for them.
• Some kids, especially picky eaters or those following a strict plant-based diet, cannot get the nutrients they need from diet alone, and are at risk for nutritional deficiency and inadequate weight gain.

Picky eaters usually have lower consumption of fruits, vegetables, and meat, as well as lower intake of energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals important for healthy growth and development.

If your kid is a picky eater or going through a phase of refusing new foods or rejecting favorites, you might want to supplement their diet with a nutritionally balanced formulation^6-10 so they don’t miss out on key nutrients necessary for growth and development.

With Wyeth Nutrition’s new growing-up milk for catch-up growth, partnered with a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet, you can be confident that they’re still getting the nutrition they need. The NEW Wyeth ASCENDA® Kid brings your kid’s essential micronutrient levels close to 100%, making it perfect for picky eaters who may miss out on essential nutrients. It gives them the boost they need for a healthier, happier life.

Wyeth ASCENDA® Kid is clinically proven to help deliver faster height growth in as early as three weeks.² It also contains the Growth Plus Advantage blend, which ensures faster height growth and healthier weight gain.³ It has 100% dairy protein, high-quality carbohydrates (lactose, no added sucrose), and 38 essential growth nutrients that are easily absorbed by the body.

Getting your kid back on track with their height and weight milestones is crucial for their overall development and future success. Your kid’s growth today is their advantage tomorrow. Begin your kid’s Wyeth ASCENDA® Kid journey now!

Resources:

1. Based on NIQ Bases and social media listening

2. Single-center study at Las Piñas Doctors Hospital with 108 Filipino kids

3. Based on the Oral Nutritional Supplementation combined with dietary counseling promotes growth, nutritional adequacy, and is well accepted in toddlers experiencing growth concerns clinical study by Samuels et al in 2023