Don’t panic if your already fussy eater(s) get even pickier as soon as the weather heats up.
“It’s common for children’s appetites to decrease in the heat, and this may mean some mealtimes are only a few mouthfuls — and that’s OK,” says Lucy Upton, specialist paediatric dietitian and British Dietetic Association spokesperson. “I’d always recommend avoiding any pressure or panicking if this is the case, most children’s appetite improves once things cool down.”
Make the most of the cooler times of the day in the mornings and evenings, she suggests and consider switching up which foods are offered when. “Offering smaller, more frequent meals and using snacks as ‘mini meals’ can be helpful as a starting point,” she says. “Food-wise, I tend to focus on fluid-rich foods and, where possible, nutrient-dense options, making small tweaks to preferred meals to support acceptance.”
Shorts
Here, dietitians share the meals, snacks and sweet treats they feed their children when the temperature rises.
