How to Fill Nutrient Gaps When Your Child’s Diet is Limited

Written by Rebecca Riley, RD, LDN

First, we must define what is considered a limited diet when it comes to your child’s intake. Often children’s intake may change from day to day. Many parents and guardians are concerned their children may not be eating enough or getting adequate variety.  If this is you, consider the following questions:

How do you know if your child’s diet is limited?

• Do they avoid certain food groups such as fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, and dairy?
• Do they avoid certain colored foods? 
• Do they only eat a select amount of foods?  (this amount can vary based on age)
• Do they have sensory issues with specific foods? 
• Do they eat the same foods every day?

If you answered yes to any of the questions, your child’s intake may be restricted.  

What to do if your child’s intake is restricted?

We want to make sure your child is getting all of the nutrients they need. Continue to offer new foods, naming  this may take a while depending on your child. Don’t rush this process. It can take 10 to 15 food exposures for a child to decide if they like the food or not. This is a mistake I find parents often make. They try a new food only a few times before deciding their child must not like it. Your child’s food preferences can take time to  develop. They may just be hesitant due to this food item feeling new to them. Avoid forcing/bargaining with your child to eat food or using food as a reward. This can cause your child to have an unhealthy relationship with food and may lead to more resistance and food aversions. While working on adding more variety to your child’s diet we can try to use the food they currently accept to meet their needs. 

Things to consider

• Does your child always accept the same food or do their preferences change?
• How are meal times?
  •  Happy, content
  • Stressful, a battle

• Is your child involved in the cooking process? 
• What do your child’s accepted foods have in common?
  •  Taste
  • Texture
  • Temperature
  • Color

Introducing new foods

Children are more likely to try new foods if you include them in the cooking process. This increases their natural curiosity around foods. Find foods that have similar characteristics to your child’s accepted foods including taste, texture, temperature, and color. Offering new foods similar to what they currently eat is an easy place to start increasing their variety. Meal times should be pleasant for you and your child. Continuing to offer foods in a neutral or happy non-stressful environment can help increase your child’s interest in trying new foods. Children model after their parents, so continue to eat a variety of foods with your child present. 

What if my child doesn’t eat vegetables?

Often I hear from parents that their child only eats fruits, not vegetables. Fruits have a lot of the same nutrients as vegetables. So if your child eats a variety of different colored fruits they are likely getting similar nutrients as they would from eating vegetables of the same color. Adding new ingredients to food your child already loves is not about sneaking it. It’s about adding more nutrients in a way we hope your child will enjoy.

Is it normal for my child’s intake to change day to day?

It is normal for your child’s intake to change from day to day. It is best to zoom out and not think about what they eat every day but more so over a week or longer. It’s also important to honor your child’s hunger. Babies are born as intuitive eaters so it is best to honor their hunger and fullness cues starting when they are born with responsive feeding. As your child grows up it’s best to continue to honor those feelings. This will help your child build trust with their body. 

What about supplements?

Lastly, if your child can’t get everything they need through their food and beverage intake we may consider supplements. At Karuna, we focus on a food-first approach. But sometimes supplements are necessary due to dietary restrictions, food allergies, intolerances, or a lack in our food supply. The reason we take a food-first approach is that there are often more benefits seen and increased absorption when taken in a food form. Please consult your child’s pediatrician or other medical professionals before starting a new supplement. 

Reach out to Karuna and get set up with one of our pediatric dietitians if you have questions or need support in this process. 

References

1. Feed in the right way for your child’s stage of development. Ellyn Satter Institute. (n.d.-b). https://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/how-to-feed/child-feeding-ages-and-stages/ 
2. Tips to feed a picky eater. KidStar Nutrients. (2024, March 1). https://kidstarnutrients.com/health/family-nutrition/tips-to-feed-a-picky-eater/