If your toddler only eats fast food, bland food or no food at all, you're likely concerned. It's true that growing children need to eat a wide variety of foods to ensure they're getting all of the nutrients they need, but picky eating is not always a major problem in children. It's often a natural part of being a toddler. However, there are a few strategies you can try to encourage your child to eat a more varied diet. To learn more about why toddlers are picky eaters, what you can do to help them eat more food and when it is an actual health concern, read on.

Why Do Toddlers Often Become Picky Eaters?

The main reason why toddlers often have no appetite has to do with the way that their bodies are growing. Infants grow incredibly quickly, and typically have appetites to match. When children reach toddler age, growth slows down slightly. Additionally, toddlers often experience growth spurts rather than even, sustained growth — it's not unusual for toddlers to go a few months without gaining much weight at all.

Most children are fairly intuitive eaters. They eat in response to hunger, and their hunger is driven by how quickly they're growing. When toddlers have a lull between growth spurts, they may not be hungry very often. However, it still remains important for toddlers to eat a varied diet that provides them with all of the nutrients that they need to grow.

How Can You Help Your Toddler Eat a More Varied Diet?

As a parent, there are a few strategies you can try to encourage your child to eat a wider variety of foods. The first is to focus on fun rather than on flavor. Brightly-colored fruits and vegetables that are cut into unique shapes are more appealing to toddlers than plain ones. You can blanch vegetables in order to make their natural colors more vibrant. They'll still remain crunchy finger foods that are easy for toddlers to eat.

Another strategy is to make sure you're regularly eating fruits and vegetables yourself. Toddlers quickly pick up on parents' behavior, and they're more likely to try new things when they know that their parents do them as well.

Allowing your toddler to plan his or her own meals (within reason) is another good way of adding fruits and vegetables to the diet. It's also a good skill for children to learn — once toddlers reach school age, they'll need the ability to make dietary choices on their own. School-aged children have much more freedom in choosing what they eat, and they'll be constantly exposed to food during lunchtime at school and at friends' parties.

Finally, don't force your toddler to eat anything. This is often counterproductive. Remember that sometimes toddlers simply won't be hungry, and you don't want them to see eating healthy food as some sort of punishment that they're forced to do.

When Is Picky Eating a Concern?

Sometimes picky eating isn't simply a normal part of being a toddler. It can be a sign that your child has a health problem. Schedule an appointment with a pediatrician if your child complains about abdominal pain after eating, if he or she frequently vomits up food or if he or she breaks out in a rash after eating. Toddlers can realize when a food is causing them to be sick, and they'll start refusing it.

You should also talk to your pediatrician if your toddler isn't meeting weight goals for his or her age. Your pediatrician may recommend supplementation with nutrient shakes that are designed for children. These shakes can help your child stay healthy as he or she grows.

In most cases, however, picky eating is not a concern when your toddler is meeting weight goals. Children have more sensitive taste buds than adults do, which makes some vegetables taste extremely bitter — it's something that most children simply grow out of. If you need to check if your child is in a healthy weight range or if you have any concerns about his or her eating habits, schedule an appointment with your pediatrician.

For more information, contact companies like ADA Pediatrics PA.