Top 10 Tips for Fussy Easters

1. Only buy the foods that you want your baby or child to eat.

2. Avoid empty calorie snacks like chips or soft drinks and keep a supply of healthy snacks on supply of healthy snacks on hand. Keep a ready supply of fresh fruit, vegetable sticks, cheese or other healthy foods in the fridge. When they're hungry, children won't wait.

3. Too much food on a plate can be off putting. Keep portions small and offer more if your child asks for it.

4. Introduce your child to fresh baby food rather than processed baby food. If they are used to a variety of fresh flavours in purees they are much less likely to reject these foods when introduced as solids.

5. Small children love to exert their independence. Let your child choose two out of three fruits or vegetables on offer. They'll be more inclined to eat sometimes they've chosen themselves.

6. Don't bribe or punish a child who refuses to eat.

7. Set a good example by eating with your child as often as possible. When your child sees everyone sitting at the table eating he'll follow your lead.

8. If your child isn't keen on veggies, 'hide' them in sauces and soup. What they can't see they can't pick out.

9. Keep offering foods that have been refusing previously - sometimes children need to be exposed to a new food several times before they'll accept it.

10. TRY to relax. Some parents worry so much about their child's diet that they turn small food issues into big ones. Children are easily put off their food by tension - or worse - learn to like the attention that food refusal brings.

Source : Coles Babyclub Magazine, Winter 2010