Wait, you liked it last week! Why your toddler might become a fussy eater

Your toddler’s been experiencing new tastes and textures since they started weaning, but now their teeth, tongue and other mouth muscles have had time to develop, their experience of eating food will be changing, too. This can make mealtimes feel like a whole new challenge, so we’ve asked Paediatric Dietician and Food Therapist, Lucy Upton, to tell us more about why you might suddenly find yourself coping with a newly fussy eater.  

Why do children refuse food? 

There can be a wide range of reasons why children start to refuse food. It’s very common for parents to feel baffled by the fact their baby who ate anything during weaning is now preferring to eat yoghurts, ‘beige foods’, and is turning their nose up at family meals.  

Understanding why children are refusing food is key, as it helps us appreciate how we can support children going forward. 

Here are some common contributors to fussy eating. 

Developmental changes  

The reason toddlerhood is the most common time to see fussy eating occur is due to huge changes in development which can predispose more challenges with eating.  These include: 

• A drive for autonomy – imagine never having any choice over when you eat, what you eat, or where you eat. This is how toddlers, who are at a stage where they are trying to control their world, can feel. Decisions around foods, like what they eat, if they eat and how to eat become factors in their control. So, say hello to responses of “no” to the foods you choose to serve. 
• Food neophobia–- this is a common developmental phase during the toddler years. Phobia 'fear' of the new ’neo’ and food (fear of new foods) is likely to be a throwback to times when toddlers ran around caves and outside where it could be potentially dangerous if they consumed something untoward. While those risks are substantially reduced in today’s society, children’s development can still cause them to be wired to fear new foods. 
• A desire for sameness and routine – children thrive with routine, which can provide comfort and reassurance. A desire for similar foods, similar routines around foods, packaged foods or anything that is easier because it's familiar and safe, is common. 

Sensory differences or sensitivities  

Eating is a very sensory task. It requires the of use of all our senses, and a good awareness of our body.  

For children who experience more, or less, sensory information around food and eating, it’s common to see differences in how or what they choose to eat.  

Mealtime environment and how parents approach food 

It’s so important that parents are not blamed for a child’s eating habits or behaviours. Simply put, it’s never a parent's fault that a child is a fussy eater.  

What is key, however, is how parents and adults respond to food refusal and more challenging mealtimes. It can be common to see many approaches taken by adults to try and ‘fix’ the behaviours, such as bribing, dragging out mealtimes, asking children to eat more, applying pressure (often inadvertently), or offering only preferred foods. These can often exacerbate feeding challenges.  

(A note from MFFY: Scroll to the bottom of this page for a link to advice which might help if you feel stuck in a pattern with how to approach fussy eating.) 

Medical background  

Some children are more likely to become selective around food choices due to their medical or feeding background.  

Babies or children who have had a trickier start to feeding, for instance, reflux or allergies, and/or who have conditions such as constipation or iron deficiency are more likely to demonstrate fussiness around food or food refusal. 

Personality  

While outside of our control, children’s personalities and even genetic influences have been linked with fussy eating risk. 

For tips and tricks from Lucy to help you (and your toddler) navigate your approach to food and fussy eating, click here to read “Yucky!” Tips for fussy eaters from The Children’s Dietician.