I’m certainly no super-mum and would never proclaim to know everything about parenthood. 90% of the time I wing it and I’ve definitely had the odd 10 minute cry when it’s got on top of me, but so far, I seem to have bought up a well-behaved, loving, and very happy little man who somehow eats incredibly well. Of course, Dex has had the odd week where he goes off his food, but we’ve somehow pulled together as a family and emerged on the other side.

Here are some of the tips and tricks for dealing with fussy eaters we’ve used so far, just in case, your child is having a wobble with food:

First up - Don’t Panic

Our natural instincts are to worry when our babies / toddlers refuse meals. When this first happened with Dexter, Craig and I spent many wasted hours sat in front of Dex, waving spoons in front of his face, catching him off guard and shoveling food in his mouth, and offering up several different options per meal to try to tempt him into eating. The fact is, if your child is hungry, he or she will eat. Providing they are still getting plenty of fluids, they won’t starve.

Don’t be tempted to force feed your child, there’s probably a very good reason they’re not eating; feeling under the weather, teething, tiredness. Their normal eating habits should resume after a few days.

Don’t Overdo it on Juice

Try not to give you child juice or water for at least an hour before a main meal. If their stomach is full of liquid, they may not feel hungry at all. You can thank the 3 Day Nanny for this one. It certainly works on Dexter.

Eat Together

Routine and clearly defined activities are invaluable for a child - especially when they are too young to converse with you. If your child is able to easily identify mealtimes, the theory is that they will be more receptive to them. Sitting down at the dining table to eat together at the same time is a challenge (especially if your child isn’t old enough to feed themselves) but it will pay off.

Don’t Overwhelm with Choice

We found out the hard way on this one. When Dex went off his food on holiday, we couldn’t work out what we were doing wrong. The breakfast buffet at our complex was so excellent, we’d never eaten so good! We found ourselves filling up our trays in the morning and saying to ourselves “Ooooh Dexter might like to try this”, “If he’s off porridge, maybe he’d like this instead” and “Let’s give him a bit of everything and see if something sticks”. Big mistake.

If your child isn’t hungry, bringing out a vast selection of foods won’t make any difference and is likely to overload their senses and make them less likely to feed. Just put one option before them and let them pick at it in their own time. If you decide to try them on something else, remove any discarded food first. During periods of fussiness, subscribe to the idea that anything is better than nothing. If they’ll only eat banana for the day, then it’s not the end of the world.

The Technology Divide

There’s two schools of thought on this one. The majority of the time we’ll turn off the television and put away our phones at mealtimes. This way we have Dexter’s full attention and he’s looking at us, and his food, when he sits down to eat. There’s nothing worse than precariously loading a spoon with something messy then catching a cheek rather than a mouth as something has distracted them at the last minute.

By the same token, the television is the grand daddy of distraction tools. If you’ve reached the end of your tether and all else fails, then occasionally letting them watch the television as you spoon feed them won’t hurt. You might find they eat without realising it as they’re so engrossed in Peppa Pig. Try not to make a habit out of it, but don’t give yourself a hard time either. Remember that these fussy periods will pass and you’re just pulling out all the stops as a temporary fix.

Avoid Processed Foods

When we first began weaning Dexter, we relied heavily on sachets of baby puree. These are great early introductions to taste and flavours and were incredibly convenient. I’m not knocking stage 1 baby food at all, it certainly has its place in the weaning journey. However, as soon as your child is ready to begin exploring new textures and consistencies, try to avoid the baby aisle.

Looking at the pre-prepared meals for toddlers in the shops, I’m always stuck by how blended down and laden with sauce their offerings are. They might claim to contain all the nutrients your child needs, but they’re often packed with sugar and too far removed from the diverse range of foods you’ll want your child to appreciate when they are older. Far better to lightly chop up your own meals and offer your child the same as you. Chunks, different textures, and different colours are essential for encouraging your child to appreciate all their different food groups.

Occasional Treats are Good

Whilst focusing on fruit and vegetables is never a bad thing, you want your child to enjoy a healthy relationship with all foods. Allowing them to eat the odd cookie or have the odd slab of chocolate will inject a bit of fun into the mix and remind them that eating isn’t always a chore!

The same goes for sitting down to eat - occasionally let them walk around with a slice of apple. If nothing else, it’ll be a new challenge eating and walking at the same time!

Embrace the Mess! “Scooooppppp!”

Shove some newspaper under their high chair, buy some hideous coveralls, and save bath times until after their main meal. The sooner you allow them to have their own spoon, the better. Dexter has his own set of cutlery and often mistakes them for hair brushes and paintbrushes - he’ll end up with bits of chicken in his hair and the walls will be dripping in gravy. Having said that, he’s several steps closer to independent eating as a result.

Of course, try to ensure these tools are used in the spirit in which they are intended - we make up songs around scooping up food and clap him when he manages it. The word “Scoop” in itself is vaguely onomatopoeic so one that can be easily exaggerated whilst your child is getting to grips with spoons.

There you have it. This isn’t a definitive list of tips and tricks, but it may offer some inspiration when your child has gone on hunger strike for the third day running. If you have any more to add, I’d love to hear them.