Parents Struggle With Their Toddler's Diet
Nine out of ten (92%) UK parents admit they’re not confident they know what their toddler’s healthy diet should consist of, reveals new research.
Two fifths (39%) go further admitting they’re not convinced their child has a healthy balanced diet, receiving all the nutrients they require.
The research conducted by SMA Nutrition to identify toddlers eating habits confirms Government statistics, highlighting that just one in ten (11%) toddlers achieve their recommended intake of vitamins and minerals required for healthy growth and development. Iron and vitamin D are two of the key nutrients toddlers maybe deficient in.
Is your toddler a Foodie Fan or Mini Muncher?
To help parents understand their toddlers eating habits, SMA Nutrition has identified four different typologies to coincide with the launch of new SMA Toddler Milk:
1. Almost half (47%) of parents feel their toddler is an adventurous Foodie Fan. These toddlers are happy to try new food and have a somewhat sophisticated palate for their years
2. Nearly one in three (33%)1 parents admit their toddler is a Contrary Kid who can be unpredictable when it comes to their ever changing mealtime likes and dislikes
3. For one in ten (9%)1 parents, their toddlers are the Stubborn Stompers of the bunch. These rather smart or headstrong toddlers seem to know exactly what foods they do and don’t like without even tasting them.
4. A small minority (8%)1 of parents confess that their toddler is a Mini Muncher. This group will do anything to avoid eating at the table, preferring to snack their way through the day
Despite lots of different typologies, the research shows that parents’ worries are universal. So, to aid parents with the rollercoaster that can be meal times, SMA Nutrition has teamed up with Eileen Hayes, parenting and behaviour expert who comments:
"Almost all parents know only too well that moment when a lovingly prepared meal is completely rejected by their toddler. It is important to realise that all children have certain preferences and it can take many times trying new foods before a toddler will accept it.’
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