Toddlers who are picky eaters are a cause of great concern for many parents. However, being a picky eater is part of what it means to be a toddler. There are several developmental reasons that cause toddlers to do this. Toddlers gain weight more slowly than they did during the first year of life, therefore they need less food. Secondly, toddlers are always on the go. They rarely sit still for anything, including food. Frequent snacking during the day is much more conducive to their busy lifestyle than sitting down to a full meal.

As a parent it’s important that you remain relaxed about your toddler’s eating habits. Your job is simply to buy the right food, prepare it nutritiously, and serve it creatively. Deciding how much and when to eat is the toddler’s responsibility.

Toddlers tend to “binge” on one food at a time. Erratic eating habits are common as well. They may only eat fruit one day and then only vegetables the next. Your child may eat very well one day and then nearly nothing the next. Children 1-3 years need an average of 1,000 and 1,300 calories a day though they may not need this amount every day. Up to half of this caloric intake can come from milk intake. Aim for a nutritiously balanced week more than a balanced day.

Here are some tips to help encourage your toddler to eat well.

• Offer a nibble tray. Toddlers like to graze through a variety of foods. Take either an ice cube tray or a muffin tray and place a variety of colorful, nutritious foods that your child can nibble upon. Place this in an easy to reach area so that your child can grab a snack whenever he chooses.
• Offer a dip for nutritious foods. Children love to immerse foods in a tasty dip. Some possibilities are: cottage cheese, cream cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, or pureed fruits or vegetables.
• Make a smoothie. Some toddlers drink much more than they eat. If this is the case, make a smoothie for them. This can be the basis of a healthy meal if milk and fruit along with supplements such as juice, egg powder, wheat germ, yogurt or peanut butter are used. Avoid using raw eggs to eliminate the risk of salmonella poisoning.

Toddlers should be offered 3-5 servings of vegetables a day. A serving should be one (1) tablespoon for each year of their age. In other words, a 2 year old should consume about 2 tablespoons of vegetables 3-5 times a day. To increase your toddler's intake of vegetables you may need to be creative! Slip grated or diced vegetables into favorite foods. Add them to soups, casseroles, macaroni and cheese, pancakes or muffins. Also, kids are more likely to eat veggies with a covering of a favorite sauce (such as cheese). Also, steamed vegetables are more flavorful and sweeter than raw vegetables.

Keep food servings for children small. A good rule of thumb is to remember that your child’s stomach is roughly the size of their fist. Give small portions at first and give refills only if your child asks for more. This less-is-more meal plan also helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, which in turn helps to minimize mood swings.

Finally, relax and count on inconsistency. Most young children will vary widely on what and how much they are willing to eat on a given day. Try to simply roll with these mood swings and don't take them personally. Most likely your child is getting far more calories or nutrition than you think.