Expert advises how to navigate Christmas dinner with a fussy child

Exclusive:

An award-winning dietician and mum of two has shared her top tips on navigating Christmas – and of course Christmas dinner – when you’ve got fussy little ones to feed

Christmas can be the most wonderful time of the year, but for parents of little fussy eaters, it can also be quite a trying time of year, especially when it comes to getting everyone sat down for Christmas dinner. Now an award-winning dietician has come forward with some top tips for dealing with fussy eating at Christmastime.

Registered paediatric dietitian and mum of two Sarah Almond Bushell has more than 20 years of experience working with families to tackle such challenges, which she has also found herself grappling with in her own household. Sarah’s own toddler’s fussiness drove her to ‘despair’, with the tot even once refusing to sit at the table for Christmas dinner and embarking on a hunger strike.

According to Sarah, the ‘excitement and sensory overload’ of Christmas Day means children often won’t eat as well as they usually would, and so parents shouldn’t expect mealtimes to go the same way they would during ordinary times.

Sarah told The Mirror: “I recall one Christmas day trying to get him to sit at the table with all the extended family, he was so strong-willed and adamant that he wanted his new toys over any of the delicious food on offer, that he eventually went on hunger strike and this lasted three days, only resuming some semblance of normal when the visitors had gone and pasta was back on the menu!

“I learned so much that day about expectations that we put on our children and ourselves and the reality is that Christmases don’t have to be picture perfect.”

She added: “The truth is that we can’t expect too much on Christmas Day, as it’s likely that our little ones won’t cope if we put too much pressure on the situation. If your little one is already a picky or fussy eater, the reality is that somehow at Christmas it just seems so much worse. If you are already dreading this meal or the expectations, maybe a pre-conversation with those attending is required.”

1. Make sure to keep the rhythm

Christmas day can be overwhelming for young children, so Sarah advised trying to create a similar environment to ordinary mealtimes, for example, keeping the same high chair and cutlery and sticking to your usual timings as much as possible.

2. Familiarity

Putting at least one food familiar to your child on the table can apparently help to reassure them. For example, if they don’t tend to eat roast dinner, then Sarah advises making their roast up in a more familiar wrap.

3. Know your role as a parent

According to Sarah, parents should trust their children to choose the order in which they eat their food and should also allow them to stop once they state they’re full, remembering their role is to provide healthy, nutritious food for their little ones. By sticking to their role, Sarah says much of the stress will be alleviated.

4. Banish old phrases

Sarah believes sayings such as ‘if you don’t clear your plate there’ll be no pudding’ or ‘if you don’t eat your tea you’ll be having it for breakfast’ evoke far too much stress and should be avoided if possible, as they create ‘dangerous negative emotions around food’.

5. Don’t insist they stay at the table after they’ve finished

Although adults may well enjoy the social aspect of gathering around the dinner table, Sarah encourages parents to remember that for young children, even the most delicious mealtimes are mostly functional. Once they’ve finished, Sarah urges parents against insisting they stay seated, letting them head off to play with their new toys instead

6. Don’t ban fun foods

According to Sarah, Christmas Day is a day to just ‘relax and go with it’, when it comes to enjoying the treats brought by Santa, and she stresses that a ‘day of eating chocolate for breakfast isn’t going to do any harm in the long run’.

7. Take full advantage of car nap times

If you have a little one who still sleeps during the day, Sarah says it’s important to stick to nap times as best you can. Although this can be trickier when it comes to Christmas Day visits to family and friends, a well-timed drive around the neighbourhood, letting your child nap in their car seat, can help you avoid meltdowns later on.

8. Set up a chill-out zone

Christmas can have an overwhelming effect on a child’s sensory system, and so organising a chill-out room where they can play quietly or watch a festive film can help reduce the risk of tantrums.

Do you have a parenting tip to share? Email us at [email protected]