Last weekend, I had an opportunity to talk to several parents of young children at a local cultural event. I did a short survey with them to learn more about their issues and concerns. One of the questions was designed to find out which sources of information they rely on for advice on child nutrition. I did a similar survey last year and I reported the results in this article. I have now added the new data for this update.

This data set now has  a total of 202 picks from 97 respondents from the blog, Global Toddlers and the recent cultural event.

Here is how the question was posed:

Where do you go for advice on toddler nutrition? Pick 3

1. Your pediatrician
2. Nutritionist or Registered Dietitian
3. Internet
4. Trusted friend/family
5. Books or Magazines
6. Networking group
7. Other

And here is chart showing the results:

Top 3 sources of child nutrition advice for most parents are Internet, Pediatrician and Books/Magazines.

I think that there is a tremendous opportunity for registered dietitians to connect with parents and offer them credible, science-based, actionable information. They get extensive training in all aspects of nutrition and many of them have graduate degrees. I believe they can bridge the gap between the pediatrician, who is unlikely to spend a lot of time addressing nutrition needs of a child, and the internet, where nutrition information tends to be largely fragmented across websites of dubious credibility. I have had a wonderful experience working with over 30 registered dietitians who have answered reader questions in my Ask the Expert column.

What do you think? Are you surprised by these results?

I would love to hear your opinion on the results of this poll. If you did not get a chance to vote in this survey, please feel free to leave a comment with your picks.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Greetings! It is Friday again, which means it is time for our weekly Five for Fridays where I usually highlight interesting food and nutrition articles of the week. But this week I want to highlight 5 interesting comments from readers of this blog which they wrote last year on different articles. Your comments inspire me and add so much value to my articles that it would be a shame to keep them buried in the archives! Plus, this is a good way to recognize those who take the time to leave a thoughtful comment. Many of them have blogs of their own, which I highly recommend you to visit via the links in each of the titles below.

I will be highlighting more comments in future posts; for now, enjoy these 5 insightful comments. If I did not pick your comment, just hang in there and look out for another post in future. And of course, feel free to share your opinions in a comment!

In response to my review of popular toddler multivitamins,  Tommy’s Mommy recommended paying attention to the recommended dosage

What a good guide to vitamins! My 11-yr-old has been taking Centrum Kids for years because he is my picky eater. I just tried it with my toddler because he has had a bad cold and hasn’t been eating like his normal self the last few days. A couple of observations…

I think you’ve addressed this, but parents need to make sure they check the dosage of vitamins. I cut one Centrum in half for my toddler as per instructions. Secondly, he loved the sweet, tasty vitamin so much he cried when I didn’t give him another. I don’t think I’ll give him any more when he’s eating well again.

Jenna of KidAppeal shared her enthusiasm for leeks and offered these interesting tips when she read my recipe for leeks with olive oil

I love leeks! thx for sharing this recipe. i tell the boys they are “ginormous” onions. eating super huge food is fun for kids. if your recipe doesn’t use all all your leeks, wash them, slice them and put in a zip lock back and store in freezer. take out a handful when you need them to saute and flavor sauces, soups, etc.

members of the onion family are also anti-bacterial by making the body inhospitable to bad bacteria that causes illness. eat onions/leeks to stay free from illness.

TTD-you could make a larger recipe and freeze half for a quick supper that only requires re-heating the next week!

When a reader asked about healthy superfoods for a 12 month old, registered dietitian Milton Stokes offered these additional details to his expert article about retooling your toddler’s diet effortlessly

Nothing beats breastfeeding. So good for you and your baby! Weaning may take place during the 6 – 12 month range.

For the one-year mark, it’s time for solids. At this point your child should eat during normal meal times and eat with the family where the family eats. Texture should be soft, chopped and/or easily gummed depending upon dentition. Avoid making separate, special meals just for your child. Some variation of the family’s meal is preferred. In other words, don’t create a routine of being a short-order cook.

An introduction of up to 20 times may seem excessive, but it’s not. As I said before, what a parent eats–how she models food consumption–is far superior to anything else. I discourage emphasizing certain foods as “good” or “bad,” or using food for any purpose other than nourishment. (For example, refrain from rewarding with food.)

Now, to actually answer your question: nothing is more “super” than fruits and veggies and whole grains. You may need to present them differently and call them different names. Instead of apples, call them “apple smiles” or “smiley fruit.” Or you could cook the apple in the microwave and fill the center with oats, a little brown sugar, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Call it the “apple cave.” Additionally, you can slice bananas and call them “wheels” or “flying saucers.” Another common one is “trees” for broccoli. (Cook and/or chop tough foods to prevent choking.)

Do you have a garden. Let your daughter help you. “Help” may mean play in the dirt, but at least it’s some exposure. Little by little her diet will change/improve. Just note: her stomach only holds a tiny bit of food compared to an adult’s, so you don’t have to worry if she only eats a couple cooked carrot sticks.

Kayris offered this simple recipe for a greek-style salad with quinoa when she read my review article quinoa – the unrecognized superfood

We love quinoa, and it IS so eay to prepare.

My favorite way to make it is in this Greek-style salad:
One cup quinoa, cooked as directed (or you can sub any other grain, I have made this with bulgur and also with couscous)
1 cucumber, chopped (peel it if you like)
1 large tomato, chopped
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Italian or Greek salad dressing until saturated (I usually use homemade Italian dressing)

Alina shared her success with herb tea instead of sugary drinks in response to shaking off a sweet addiction

I introduced herbal teas to my daughter who is now 16 months old. I wanted to offer her something different than just water and milk. And I didn’t want to go with juice which is so sweet, even when diluted. So I have offered her some basic, caffeine-free herbal teas such as chamomile. You can add ice as a refreshing cool drink or serve warm or at room temperature.

Like any new foods, I had to offer it to her many many times before she actually drank it. I think that’s where some parents go wrong with juice — it’s sweet so the child will drink it right away. But I have found my toddlers will eat non-sweet foods (or drinks), it just may take longer for them to like the taste. Also it really helps when they can see you drinking the same thing. And with tea, there is the fun part of preparing the tea…. adding the tea bag, waiting for it to steep, adding some ice, etc!

To any parents who would like to try offering tea in a sippy cup, make sure to read the label carefully because some herbal teas do contain caffeine or other “odd” ingredients.

Enjoy and let me know what is on your mind.

Photo Source: Just chaos on Flickr via everystockphoto

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Ask The Expert is a weekly column on Littlestomaks.com. The idea is to have a reader-submitted question answered by a nutrition expert or a pediatrician. Feel free to submit your question in the comments section below.

This week, Registered Dietitian Rebecca Subbiah offers tips for getting your toddler to eat better.

Question: How do I get my 3 year old to eat better and make mealtimes more enjoyable?

Answer:

Here are a few easy tips for you to encourage your 3 year old to eat better.

• Don’t make mealtimes a battle.
• Little ones don’t have much control over things and refusing to eat and being fussy is their way of showing independence.
• Stay calm over what you have cooked and don’t worry if they don’t eat much the next meal they will make up for it!
• Get your little one involved in grocery shopping and choosing new fruits and vegetables, then on returning home get them in the kitchen even if its just washing the produce or shirring things.
• Visit Ethnic grocery stores and restaurants to expose your child to new and exciting foods.
• Sit your little one with kids who do eat vegetables they might copy them!
• Have a rule to just try a new food and if they don’t want it no worries maybe next time they will.
• Add vegetables to mashed potatoes, spaghetti sauce and soups.
• Make smiley faces on the plate or fun shaped sandwiches
• Have fun more than likely its just a stage

©2010 Littlestomaks.com. All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer – Information provided in Ask The Expert column on Littlestomaks.com is intended to give you general guidance on a question related to toddler nutrition. It is not meant to be treated as medical advice. You are welcome to contact this expert for a detailed consultation on your specific situation to determine what actions, if any, you should take regarding nutrition and health of your toddlers. We do not recommend you to take any action based solely on the information presented in this column. Experts have agreed to provide their professional opinion on toddler nutrition related questions on a voluntary basis and no compensation is offered to them by Littlestomaks.com.

To find out more about Global Toddlers click here.

If you would like to participate in the survey, send me a note using the Contact Us page. The only criteria is that you should have at least one child between the ages of 2 and 5.

In a recent post, I wrote about the importance of being a role model for your children in encouraging them to develop healthy eating habits. Research has shown that when asked to choose items from a play grocery store in a role play setting, children 2-6 years selected a mix of healthy and less healthy items mirroring the buying preferences of their parents. For example, when the parents buying preference scored high on the least healthy side, the shopping cart of their children also had least healthy products. Attitudes about food seem to develop at an early age; therefore, it is important for parents to consistently demonstrate a pattern of behavior – both inside and outside of the home – that encourages these attitudes to be positive and healthy when it comes to food selection.

The goal is clear (healthy eating habits) and the strategy is clear (be a role model), but how do you translate it into actions which will result in the desired result over the long run? In my post 6 easy tips for helping your child choose healthy foods, I offered a few ideas. That was only a start. In this post, I want to discuss a simple model that can help you develop your own action plan based on your own unique situation.

And the really great thing about it is that it can apply to everything, not just nutrition.

As a parent, you have enormous influence and control over your child. How you interact with him on a daily basis, and over the long run, will shape his behavior and future choices. I believe that parents already have a great instinct about how they should raise their children. And in most cases, those instincts are more or less the right instincts. Having said that, it is also quite natural to feel doubtful about those instincts. At times, you may find yourself wondering why – even though you are trying so hard – your child is still not showing healthy eating habits. Should you be doing something else?

It is perfectly ok to rely on instincts. However, we all live very busy and stressful lives. Under these circumstances, our own behaviors are usually quite erratic, inconsistent, and out of sync with our instincts. We lose track of what is important, act without a plan, and hope that everything will turn out to be fine in the long run. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way!

Understanding your style of parenting is the first step in developing a solid action plan. Parent-child relationship is very complex, and I don’t claim to be an expert in it. However, I want to share with you a simple model of parenting styles I read in a paper recently which provoked some thoughts and ideas you may find useful.

In this model, there are 4 types of parenting styles based on acceptance and control:

4 Types of Parenting Styles

1. Authoritative – exercises authority when necessary, but also frequently accepts the will of the child
2. Indulgent – is more accepting and affirmative, allows the child to learn gradually without much discipline
3. Authoritarian – values obedience and enforces discipline through punishment, less forgiving
4. Disengaged – does not care, neglectful

So how do you figure out your style? Since you are reading this article, your style is probably not in the Disengaged category. You certainly care!

But what about the other three categories? One way could be to first think about how often you let your child “get away” with what he wants. Rate your acceptance level in terms of always, sometimes or rarely. Now think about how often you force him to do what you want. Again, rate your level of control in terms of always, sometimes or rarely. Now put the two ratings together:

• Always letting him get away, rarely forcing – your style is Indulgent
• Rarely letting him get away, always forcing – your style is Authoritarian
• Sometimes letting him get away, sometimes forcing – your style is Authoritative

It is most desirable to have an Authoritative style of parenting. In fact, research has shown that an authoritative style is associated with reduced smoking initiation, increased physical activity and reduced sedentary behavior in girls. Authoritative does not mean random acceptance and control; rather it means that you exercise a balance of give and take at appropriate times. There is no fixed formula for doing this. It all depends on your what is important to you and where you draw the line.

Now that you understand your parenting style, the next step is to understand your partner’s style. Unless, of course, you are a single parent. Although there can be several combinations based on these 4 different styles, I am going to focus on only 4 to keep it simple! This is because, I am going to assume that at least one of you has the Authoritative style.

Situation 1: You are Authoritative and your partner is Indulgent

Pros:

• Together, you balance each other in terms of acceptance and control.
• Under stress, the Authoritative parent can get Authoritarian; and the Indulgent parent can get Disengaged. In this situation you can keep each other in check.

Cons:

• One parent can be perceived as the “Good Cop” and the other as the “Bad Cop”.
• The Indulgent parent may lose all control over the child, especially when alone in a stressful situation.

What to do:

• Have a good agreement on what is acceptable and what is not.
• Do not try to settle your differences in front of the child; do not make it an “I have to be right” situation.
• Be flexible, but regularly confirm with each other if things are still on track.

Situation 2: You are Authoritative and your partner is Disengaged

Pros:

• The child does not get confusing signals; only one parent is actively engaged.

Cons:

• One parent carries the load and may begin to resent the other; feeling “It’s not fair“.
• The Authoritative parent may feel the pressure to discipline the child even when he/she may not want to.
• The Authoritative parent may feel a loss of control and may either become Disengaged or Authoritarian.

What to do:

• Set the expectations for a certain level of commitment and engagement from your disengaged partner.
• Understand the main reason for disengagement and find out if it is temporary of chronic.
• Seek professional help if needed. Act early enough to preserve your relationship.

Situation 3: You are Authoritative and your partner is Authoritarian

Pros:

• The Authoritative parent can keep the Authoritarian parent in check and protect the child from excessive discipline.

Cons:

• The Authoritative parent may turn into excessively Indulgent to counterbalance the Authoritarian parent.
• The Authoritarian parent may turn into Disengaged. In that case, the cons of situation 2 apply.

What to do:

• Have a good agreement on when the Authoritarian parent can exercise control and discipline. Also, discuss what kind of discipline can be allowed.
• Explain to the Authoritarian parent why you decided to “let the child get away” in a certain situation. Be consistent in your own behavior and make sure to keep your partner in the loop.
• Resist the temptation to be the “Good Cop” with your child.
• Do not settle your differences in front of the child.

Situation 4: You and your partner are both Authoritative

This is the perfect situation! Celebrate your relationship often!!

What is your style?

How would you describe your parenting style? And what about your partner’s parenting style? Would you do anything different based on this model of parenting styles? Do you have any other suggestions?

You probably already know about the Food Pyramid from the USDA. What you may not know is that now there is a new version just for pre-schoolers (2-5 years old) called MyPyramid for Preschoolers. On this website, you can get a lot of useful information, all in one place. Check it out.

• You can make a customized MyPyramid plan for your toddler based on age, sex and level of physical activity. One problem is that the age selection is only in whole years, so if your toddler is say 2 and a half years old (like ours), you probably want to pick 3 years. Here is how it looks for our boy (Armaan) and our girl (Asya). It gives you details of how many calories and how much from each food group you should be feeding each day. Click the thumbnail for full size image.

• In the Grow Up Healthy section, you can prepare a growth chart for your toddler based on height and weight. This is what you get when you visit your Pediatrician. Now, you don’t need to wait the whole year before the next physical check-up to get this information. A growth chart can help you monitor the growth of your toddler and compare it to other children of the same age and sex. One word of caution – don’t get carried away by what you see on the chart. In my opinion, you should pay more attention to the overall growth pattern over time rather than a single point on this chart. Check out the What Influences Growth section that describes the factors that affect the growth patterns of preschoolers. Notice the value of nutrition and sleep! I would also add physical activity level in this section if I had my way. But then there is a separate section on that (see below).
• Under Healthy Eating Habits and Picky Eaters sections, you would find useful tips for developing good feeding habits at an early age. I was familiar with most of their advice on this section; one thing that caught my eye was their advice on how to cope with marketing and advertising on TV. It is a good read and I recommend it.
• Under Physical Activity there is good information on how much (60 minutes per day, does not need to be all at once), outdoor and indoor activities, and safety. The most important thing to remember is that you are a role model for them; therefore if you maintain an active lifestyle, they will learn to do so too.
• Very good tips for Food Safety regarding general hygiene, snacking, choking hazards, food handling and food preparation.
• There are also ideas for Sample Meals and Snacks (based on the recommended calorie level – first make the customized MyPyramid Plan) and More Information on food groups with examples of different types of foods and the serving size in each group.

Check it out and let me know what you think. Did you find anything new that you did not know before? Would you recommend it to your friends?