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Nutrients for fussy eaters

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Nutrients for fussy eaters

Parents of fussy eaters are often really concerned about what their child eats from a nutritional standpoint. They are worried that a limited diet means their child is missing out on essential nutrients that could affect growth, development, and energy levels.

And it is true that children have a greater demand for nutrients than adults, as they are still growing. Further, many of the foods preferred by selective eaters are refined carbohydrates and processed foods, which often contain few nutrients.

Existing on a narrow diet for a long time may also mean deficiencies in essential nutrients and these can also make picky eating worse. For example, being low in zinc can affect appetite and make foods taste unpleasant.

However, it is not all gloom and doom, there are also actions that parents can take to improve their child’s nutrient profile even on a very limited diet.

What can you do to increase nutrients for fussy eaters?

Vitamins/powders

You can supplement with vitamins, if a child is able to eat them. Not all vitamins are created equally though, so it is great to do a little research first. For those children who find tablets or gummies a challenge, dis-solvable powders
could be a win as you can add to milk, cereal, smoothies etc.

Or you can consider some of the fruit and/or vegetable powders that can be added to favourite foods, providing a nutrient boost.

Probiotics can be a great addition to the diet. We can get them through good quality yoghurt, for example. Milk kefir is another way to do this for children who like milk. It’s easily added in small amounts but packs a pretty big punch.

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Vitamin fortified foods

Vitamins may not be a go and in which case looking for fortified foods may be a good way to increase the nutrient quota.

Many foods are fortified. Anything from bread, flour, cereal, milk, pasta, and orange juice can have additional vitamins added.

There is some debate as to how much we actually gain from fortified foods, but even a small increase in a narrow diet is valuable.

Nutrient boosting foods

We can also, of course get nutrients through food, and this long-term is the best solution.

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If your child has a very limited diet – less than 15 foods – it is worth considering support to help increase the number of foods eaten.

However, even if your child eats a limited range of foods, there are still ways we may be able to add in some additional nutrients.

Breakfast

1. Bread – bread or bread-type options are frequently accepted by picky eaters.

Upgrading the quality of the bread can be a simple but good step in boosting nutrients.

If your child is stuck on white bread at the moment, then high fibre options are a good start. You could also swap for white spelt or sourdough which have a better nutrient profile and are more easily digested.

If wholegrain or wholemeal options are accepted these provide a better nutrient profile. Rotating between different types can help deliver different nutrients too.

2. Spreads – what you add to bread or toast can be a good nutrient boost. Nut or seed butters deliver protein, healthy fats, and minerals.

Some of the better quality jams are primarily fruit. Or, home-made jam from pureed fruit, sweetener and chia seeds can be a great option.

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Marmite or Vegemite has a good dose of B vitamins.

Honey, especially raw honey is a good source of nutrients.

3. Toppings – whether your child prefers cereal, pancakes, yoghurt or toast, there are many toppings you can use to boost nutrients. Many fussy eaters find mixing foods challenging though. Although this is the case, it is an important skill to learn, and frequently, starting with easier foods, for example, ice cream and chocolate sauce may be easier.

Grinding nuts and seeds and sprinkling a little on food can boost those good fats and minerals. As nuts and seeds are dry and crunchy, sometimes this is easier than we expect.
Chia seeds may also be a win. I know several parents who have introduced this as a crunch factor on top of spreads on toast introducing fibre and healthy fats.

Perhaps mixing ground nuts or seeds with cocoa powder helps as it introduces a chocolate flavour. Cocoa is a good source of zinc. However, cacao is more nutrient-rich if that’s okay for your child.

Any time you can add more fruit you are adding additional nutrients, fibre, and often anti-oxidants. You can do this in the form of sliced or grated fruit added to foods. Sometimes, tinned fruit is preferred. Or you can use fruit purees or mashed fruit like banana on toast.

4. Fruit – you can add to other foods or just serve as is at the table. The best way to increase the amount of fruit eaten, is to serve it more often. If fruit is not a feature of breakfast at the moment, it’s not too late to start!

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Dried fruit may be easier for some children and this a great source of nutrients. It’s also perfect to have at breakfast as you can ensure your child brushes their teeth afterwards to get rid of sticky, sugary residue.

Fruit puree. Many children prefer fruit in a more liquid form and if so, there is no problem serving like this.

Fruit juice. I know this gets a lot of negative publicity, however, if your child is reluctant to eat whole fruits, fruit juice can be a good starting place. It enables a child to become comfortable with the taste of fruit and delivers similar nutrients, without the same fibre.

I have spoken to quite a few parents recently who have found V8 juice to be a win. There are both vegetable juices and fruit/veg mixes that may be worth a whirl.

5. Cereal – adding additional toppings or fruit as discussed can be great.

You can also use something like milk kefir to add additional probiotics. Mixing a little in with regular milk doesn’t change the flavour dramatically.

6. Pancakes – are often seen as a more treaty option, however, in in their traditional form with flour, egg and milk, they are a good protein fix first thing in the morning.

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You can also make many  variations of pancakes. Egg plus banana. Different flours like oat or buckwheat. Wholemeal, or partial wholemeal, can often be easier than in breads.

You can even make chicken pancakes blending it into the batter.

Snacks

Snacks can be a great place to add in some slightly new foods as children are often more relaxed at snack-time.

Serving fruit and vegetables at snacks, even if not eaten provides a good learning experience.

1. Smoothies – many fussy eaters find drinking easier than eating, so smoothies can be a good option.

Adding yoghurt, or kefir introduces probiotics, essential for a healthy gut.
There are also dissolvable vitamins or fruit and veggie powders that can go into the smoothie.

Smoothies are often pretty forgiving in terms of adding extras.

Many children are okay with fruit added to smoothies.

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Adding vegetables can be simpler than we expect, particularly if adding neutral flavoured and coloured ones, like cooked cauliflower. Other vegetables that work well in smoothies are zucchini (which can be peeled if the green is a problem), avocado and spinach. Or you can add cocoa so the colour and overriding flavour is chocolaty.

Dates or honey both have nutrients so are a better sweetener option from that point of view than sugar.

2. Baked goods – some children are fine with fruit or veggies added to muffins, cakes, or brownies. This is not a push to hide. I am anti-hiding for many reasons, however, if adding things to a food is an easier way to eat it than in its original form, that’s fine!

3. Nuts and seeds – these can make a great snack on their own as they are crunchy and dry – the usual wins for most picky eaters. They are also packed with good fats and minerals. If they don’t rock on their own, how about toasted or choc-dipped?

4. Dips – hummus is one of your 5 a day. Yoghurt makes a great dip, as does softened peanut butter or tahini.

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5. Frozen fruit or vegetables – either whole, like peas, or pureed, like berries or banana can be a different but accepted snack.

Lunch/dinner

There are many ways you can boost the nutrient quota in your child’s food but often dinner is a little more challenging so care should be taken to not make this a negative experience!

1. Adding veggies – for example, to tomato-based sauces or meatballs can make it easier for a child to accept them than served whole.

2. Liver – soaking in milk or vinegar can remove the distinctive taste of liver. You can then freeze and grate a little into foods like burgers or meatballs without noticing the flavour. Liver packs a big nutrient punch.

3. Linseeds – ground linseeds provide a boost of omega 3. I use them in meatballs, sauces, and burgers as a binder/thickener. They disappear nicely into the food and don’t create an unpleasant taste or texture.

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4. Broth – broth again packs a huge nutritional punch. I know many parents who are able to cook rice, for example, in broth, or use as the liquid for 2 minute noodles, boosting the nutrient quantity. If you are making sauces for bolognaise, for example, adding some broth as the liquid is also a positive.

5. Herbs and spices – the herbs and spices add a good boost in a little package. Any we can add to foods are a bonus.

6. Lentils and beans – these can be a challenge for fussy eaters. They can also, often be added in small amounts without a drama. For example, I frequently add a small quantity of lentils to a bolognaise, giving a flavour boost as well as a nutrient one (you can grind into powder too so there is no textural element).

7. Pesto – combining green herbs can be a win flavour wise for a surprising number of picky eaters and obviously is a nutrient packed offering as well.

8. Changing up veggies – frequently serving in the traditional way makes veggies less appealing for children. However, frying broccoli or roasting green beans or cauliflower, often makes them far more palatable.

9. Wholegrains – upgrading rice or pasta, for example, to wholemeal rather than white is a plus. Some versions are far better than others though so please don’t road test one and gauge all the others by that. Wholemeal spelt pasta is our favourite pasta and wholemeal basmati the choice for rice.

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10. Potato skins – there are more nutrients in the skins of many foods than in the filling. Scooping the flesh out of potatoes and then roasting until crispy and/or adding cheese is ideal.

I hope this has provided some inspiration and a few ideas for boosting nutrition, even in a limited diet.

If you’d like more support in getting foods eaten, please feel free to contact me.

Judith, MA Cantab (Cambridge University), MSc Psychology (first-class honours), is working on a PhD, is an AOTA accredited picky eating advisor and internationally certified nutritional therapist. She works with 100+ families every year resolving fussy eating and returning pleasure and joy to the meal table.

She is also mum to two boys and the author of Creating Confident Eaters and Winner Winner I Eat Dinner. Her dream is that every child can approach food from a place of safety and joy, not fear.

Learn more about Judith here: https://theconfidenteater.com/about/

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