Fussy eating advice

What to do when your child pesters for more ketchup (or any other condiment!)

 

Do you have a child who constantly pesters for more ketchup on their food? More jam on their porridge? More grated cheese on their pasta? Or more garlic bread from the plate in the middle of the table when they haven’t even touched their pasta?
 
Children often push for more of a condiment or ‘extra’ on the table as another way to seek power and attention – or as a distraction from the food on their plate they’re less interested in. But the last thing you want with a fussy eater is even more palaver at the table!
 
So how should you deal with it?
 
If you say “No, you can’t have any more” or take it away, they might kick off big time! But if you give in, it teaches them that pestering gets them what they want. They’ll just do it more. So, what’s the best solution?
 
Give them their own separate portion at the start of the meal.

 

Instead of putting the ketchup bottle (pot of jam, dish of grated cheese, plate of garlic bread…) in the middle of the table for them to hanker after, give them a small amount of ketchup in a dipping sauce dish (handful of grated cheese in a ramekin, piece or two of garlic bread on a side plate…). It may sound like a faff, but it’s totally worth it because:
 
#1 It creates a clear boundary

… around that food (literally!). That is their portion – and when it’s gone, it’s gone! Children are happier and calmer when there’s a clear boundary in place. That’s not to say they won’t go bananas the first time they’re not allowed any more, or grumble the second time. But if you calmly say “That’s all the ketchup for today”stick to your guns and just calmly say every single time “That’s all the X for today” – and don’t engage with any further protests – they will quickly accept it.

#2 It diverts their attention

… from battling with you about the ketchup (jam, grated cheese, garlic bread…) to thinking about how they are going to use their portion. Should they put all their ketchup on at once or dip things in it? Should they put their jam on their porridge in one blob or lots of little blobs? Should they sprinkle the grated cheese on at the start or use it bit by bit? Should they take a bite of garlic bread every so often or save it till last? They have full control. And kids like that!

Note: This advice is for condiments and ‘extras’ they already eat happily. To introduce children to new and different foods they don’t eat, a ‘sharing plate’ in the middle of the table for them them to help themselves to (if they want to) can be a very good idea.