When Olivia turned 2 years old, she discovered one of the Filipino-favorite dishes of all time – sinigang na bangus sa sampaloc (fish tamarind soup). She loved it so much, she would eat 2-3  servings of rice per meal.  

Her parents were happy as sinigang had most of the nutrients a toddler like Olivia needed. She was eating rice (carbohydrates), fish (protein), and even vegetables like kangkong (water spinach), sitaw (string beans), and okra. She would ask to eat sinigang for lunch and dinner, every single day. She still asks for it to this day – she’s already 6. Unless the ulam (viand) is sinigang or kid-friendly yet unhealthy processed foods like hotdog or luncheon meat, Olivia wouldn’t eat much.  

Olivia, like most 3+ toddlers, is a picky eater. According to Dr. Katrina Ann Valera, diplomate of  the Philippine Society for Pediatric, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, it’s natural for children to become picky eaters once they turn 2 years old and can last up to 5 or 8 years old. It can even cross over into adulthood if parents don’t properly manage young picky eaters, she added. 

When a child is a picky eater, it doesn’t only cause parents a headache when it comes to  preparing meals for the family. It could also be harmful to 3+ toddlers who might be losing out on the nutrients they need during their growing years. 

Nutrition inadequacy in the Philippines 

In the NIDO 3+ ExperTips Congress held last May 15, Dr. Edward Martin Santos, assistant  professor and active consultant staff of pediatrics at the UERM College of Medicine, shared some alarming findings about the nutrition inadequacy of Filipino children.  

A 2018 research by Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) showed that the majority of Filipino children are not getting the recommended energy they need from the food they eat. This is mostly because many kids nowadays live on a diet of rice, bread, sweet bakery products, processed foods, and sweetened beverages. They seldom eat nutrient-rich foods like milk, fruits, and vegetables. 

“There’s an imbalance of the important macro and micro nutrients that’s why their energy intake is way below than what’s recommended,” said Dr. Santos.

While children are also consuming excessive amounts of carbohydrates, sugar, and salt, they experience deficiency in important vitamins and minerals like phosphorus, vitamin C, iron, zinc,  and calcium, he added. The lack of these nutrients can lead to poor growth and development, being underweight and stunted, as well as harmful conditions like anemia and malnutrition.  

Apart from the economic status of families, one of the main causes of child malnutrition is picky eating.  

The impact of picky eating  

When children hit 3+ toddler years and start being vocal about what they want to eat, it’s natural for them to not want to eat certain types of foods or have a decreased appetite. It’s innate for kids (even humans in general) to love sweet flavors and hate bitter ones. Given this, parents should not worry if their child is becoming a picky eater. 

That is why experts like Dra. Valera recommend that children be first introduced to neutral tasting food like soup and mashed fruits and vegetables when they start eating solid food. This is to avoid food neophobia – or fear of trying new food types – when they reach a certain age.  

If you’re already past this stage and is dealing with a picky eater right here and now, don’t lose hope. There are ways to manage this frustrating habit and ensure your child’s nutrition. 

Below are some of Dr. Valera’s tips: 

1. Set a meal schedule and share meals as a family 

Set a schedule for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks – and stick to it. Avoid serving food outside of the schedule to avoid ruining your 3+ toddler’s appetite. 

Even if a child refuses to eat, encourage them to stay seated at the table for at least 20 minutes. Seeing others eat might interest them, too. It’s ideal to have family members all eat together at a proper dining table free from distractions like TV or heated arguments. Older children and adults should also be eating the same healthy food that the 3+ toddler is being asked to.  

2. Make meals pleasant and encourage independent feeding 

3+ toddlers are children after all. Find a way to make meals look fun, colorful, and interesting. Maybe try using playful bowls and plates or setting up meals in a cute way – like bento boxes.  

It may also be helpful to allow the child to feel in control of food. It will be messy but this is a way to encourage children to eat. 

3. Avoid being a short order cook and give affirmative messages 

It’s easy to give in and cook what your child asks for just so she would eat. This just encourages picky eating. When a child becomes hungry because they chose not to eat, they’ll be more likely to eat what is available next time. 

Also, avoid shouting at a picky eater and understand them instead. Be gentle when encouraging them to eat, affirm them when they eat healthy food, let them feel that you are with them in this journey. 

4. Involve kids in meal planning and systematically introduce new food options

Talk to your 3+ toddlers about food. Shop or even plant together, check out kid-friendly cookbooks, and let them help out in the kitchen. Making them part of the process can make the end result exciting for them, too. 

Serve the new healthy food together with something she already likes. Be transparent, don’t resort to hiding, tricking, forcing, or bribing because this might turn into a negative experience. And don’t give up after one try, it takes at least 10 exposures to new food before a child accepts it. 

Making up for lost nutrients 

Picky eaters can lose out on important nutrients so it’s important to make them drink milk that can provide them with those. However, parents should also be mindful about the kind and type of milk they will provide their children. 

Age-appropriate milk like NIDO® 3+ is filled with essential nutrients like DHA, LA, and ALA which are good for the brain, PREBIO3 ® fiber to support healthy digestion, and 17 vitamins and  minerals for normal growth. NIDO® 3+ is also the only milk with LACTOBACILLUS  PROTECTUS® that may help support upper respiratory defense.  

Ms. Ditas Sagarbarria, expert Nutritionist-Dietician, explained during the NIDO® 3+ congress  that “high-calorie milk discourages the development of healthy eating habits. Kids will feel satisfied and not have appetite for table foods.” Apart from that, some milk types contain high sugar content that may promote excessive energy intake and may also ruin their appetite. 

That’s why choosing the right growing up milk is not just about the nutrients – parents also have to be conscious about the sugar content. NIDO® 3+ has no added table sugar and instead uses 100% lactose, a naturally occurring type of sugar in milk that helps in the digestion of calcium needed for bone development.  

So parents, always check the label. And don’t give up on picky eaters. Try these ExperTips today and see how it goes! 

In case you missed the event and you want to hear more about 3+ toddler tips from these panel of  experts, you can visit the NIDO® 3+ExperTips Congress Virtual Venue at  https://www.expertipscongress.com/ until May 31, 2021. 

You may also check out www.momandme.nestle.com.ph/nido3 for more information, or follow  https://www.facebook.com/Nido3Ph for updates. – Rappler.com