Allowing fussy eaters to play with their food is “totally a good idea”, a leading family nutritionist has said. 

For generations, children have been told not to play with their food - but Dr Collette Reynolds feels this is a mistake.

If a child does not want to eat a certain food, getting them to engage with it in a way that is not eating can really help.

“One of the things that I think is really important when you’re working and encouraging a limited eater to eat is that we don’t ask them to do something that they’re not comfortable with at the moment,” Dr Reynolds told Newstalk Breakfast.

“We have to meet them where they are at; so, for example, if they don’t like peas on their plate, maybe we should think about is there some way we can break this down and make it a little bit easier?

“So, instead of putting the peas on the plate, can we get them to engage with the peas? For example, licking them or touching them? Eating is the end goal.”

Children eating in kindergarten or at home

Once a child is familiar with a food, it is usually much easier to get them to eat it.

“Getting to know foods is really important because kids sometimes are afraid of different foods that they don’t currently eat,”  Dr Reynolds said.

“They’re thinking, ‘Oh, I’m not sure what it’s like.’

“If they’re getting to play with it, [let them get] to know about the taste or the texture of it.”

A baby girl holding carrots in a garden. Picture by: Everst / Alamy Stock Photo

Dr Reynolds also suggested parents should give their child a limited choice over what they eat - with both options being as healthy as the other.

“Some kids really want to have control over everything - particularly as toddlers - or they try to be the boss over everything,” she said.

“So, what about giving them a choice and saying, ‘Do you want to have weetabix or porridge this morning?’

“They’re two similar items.

“You don’t say, ‘What do you want for breakfast in case they come up with an answer like chocolate.’”

The HSE has a number of suggestions for parents looking to bring their children up eating a healthy diet.

Main image: A child eating vegetables. Picture by: Alamy.com