Summer is coming up, and that means lots of opportunities for picnics in the sun (English weather permitting)! I’ve written before about my top picnic ideas for the family, but in this blog I wanted to share why I think picnics can be such a great opportunity to improve fussy eating.
Whether you’re just starting out with weaning, or you have an older baby or a toddler, picnics are a perfect occasion for little ones to learn all about the social side of eating and really ENJOY mealtimes.
Conviviality & Commensality
These are two phrases that I really delved deep into when I was researching and writing my new book, How To Feed Your Toddler. I really feel that they encompass so much of what eating is about, beyond nutrition.
The Mediterranean diet has been hailed for years as a positive way to eat and even one of the healthiest dietary patterns in the world. Importantly, the Med diet isn’t just about the ‘what’ and the ‘how much’ of eating – it’s about SO much more. Two key components of the Mediterranean style of eating are:
- Commensality: The aspect of eating together with family and friends.
- Conviviality: The social aspect of eating, including socialising during meals and the pleasure of sharing meals and dishes together.
I love these two words, because I really feel they encompass something that is rarely talked about when it comes to food and nutrition, but something that is also SO significant to helping little ones to love and enjoy foods/mealtimes.
As adults (and certainly this is true for me), part of what we enjoy about food and mealtimes is often how it can bring us together with family and friends. Once kids come along, we can sometimes forget to continue this amongst the chaos that is parenting, and so our babies and children don’t really understand the joy of eating and the aspects of commensality or the conviviality as described above.
Picnics are a perfect opportunity for teaching little ones how wonderful it can be to share meals together and be sociable around food.
Other reasons why picnics are great…
Exposure
Usually at picnics, there is plenty of variety on offer, making it a perfect way to expose little ones to different types of foods. Picnics are a great example of serving foods “family style” – setting all foods out in the middle and allowing everyone to serve themselves. This gives little ones more independence to choose what and how much they want to eat.
Particularly for older babies and toddlers, their growing independence is often such a key underlying reason for fussy eating behaviours. Offering them the choice over what foods they put on their plate can make a huge difference for them. Having the other foods available for them to see, smell, pick up and interact with, all counts as exposure, helping them to become more familiar and accepting of new foods.
For young babies just starting out with their weaning journey who can’t necessarily “choose” their foods, family-style meals are still a perfect opportunity for exposure. You can offer them bits of what’s on offer and let them explore. They also get to see everyone else tucking in and enjoying plenty of foods too!
Positive environments
I’ve written before about the importance of mealtime environments when weaning your baby. Creating an enjoyable atmosphere at mealtimes can really affect your baby’s experience of eating both in the short and long term. I know it can be so much easier said than done if your little one is distressed in the highchair, but even a simple change can make a big difference.
It could be a change of scenery or adding a little fun, whether with music, colourful napkins/tablecloths or trying different plates or cutlery. That’s why picnics can be the ideal setting for little ones who may not be so keen on mealtimes at the moment. Taking them away from the table and taking the attention off of them eating can create a more positive experience for everyone involved.
Role modelling
One of the things I ALWAYS talk about when it comes to food refusal or fussy eating, is the importance of role modelling. I know it can be tricky sometimes to find the time to sit down and eat together with your little ones, and that’s another reason why picnics are a good opportunity for improving fussy eating.
Having everyone sit and eat together is the ideal way for kids to learn from others. Whether it’s other children or adults, seeing others eating and enjoying a variety of foods is such an important way for little ones to learn and build confidence to try foods themselves.
Lack of pressure
Picnics tend to be a more relaxed occasion than other mealtimes (although picnics with kids can be a whole different ball game), with the focus more on things other than food. Therefore, there is generally less pressure on eating. This can make a HUGE difference to little ones – just try it. When they feel more relaxed and more in control of the mealtime, they may be more likely to engage with and try new foods.
Try not to worry about what your little one is or isn’t eating and let them enjoy the experience of the picnic. You can try engaging with them about the various foods in different ways other than eating. For example, you could talk about all of the colours or textures of the foods, or play games such as counting how many carrots there are! Taking the pressure off is really important when it comes to helping little ones ENJOY mealtimes.
So with all of that in mind, let’s hope for plenty of sunny weather to enjoy some picnics this summer! For more tips on fussy eating, sign up for my Fussy Eating Crash Course now.
Also for more tips on Picnic Food Ideas check out my latest blog from Zebedees and also my blog on eating out and about with babies and toddlers.