Your toddler is growing and developing every day, and a wide variety of foods will help to provide all the nutrients they need for the incredible changes that are happening, inside and out. Getting them used to a varied diet is also important for setting up healthy habits for life – encouraging them to love good food and try new tastes from a young age.

A big part of their development involves testing boundaries, and that can sometimes lead to fussy phases at the dinner table. For most toddlers, it’s a way of showing that they’re becoming their own little person and that they have the power to say no. While this can be a bit of a worry, it’s usually just a phase and will pass soon enough. The good news is that toddlers have a natural instinct for knowing how much they need to eat. It can be reassuring to look at how much they’ve eaten over a whole week, instead of just at one fussy mealtime or day. Remember, most toddlers go through this phase, so you’re definitely not alone!

Here are some tips to help you encourage your toddler to eat a wide variety of foods, even through fussy phases.

Our team of C&G baby club mums and experts have lots of suggestions for helping with fussy eaters, as well as advice about all aspects of toddler feeding. We’re only a phone call away so if you ever need help, feel free to get in touch.