Special Topics in Development: Nutrition & Food Issues   Infancy and early toddler hood are the times when parents seem to worry the most about nutritional deficiencies and fussy eating -- after all there is so much crucial development going on in the brain, and no way to reason with such a small child about the importance of various foods & nutrients.   And children can be so stubborn and intractable about what, when, and how much to eat that even parents of older children are sometimes driven to distraction by the pickiness and strange preferences of their kids.  Most of us have heard by now the admonition to "give them a multivitamin, offer a variety of food choices, and then don't worry about it." ( Some variance of the "you must try at least 1 bite" rule is usually tacked onto this approach by parents and caregivers.) As sound as this advice is, we know too that as our children become older, their innate biologically driven sense about what their bodies need may become supplanted by a taste for junk food, desires for "comfort food", and by aversions that are fueled more by overactive imaginations than by biology ("I won't eat that -- it looks funny!") With this in mind, we offer the following selection of information to help you make sound choices and to help you confidently negotiate your way through the Food Wars...       Articles   Age by Age Guide to Feeding Your Baby & Toddler Introducing solids and self-feeding.   Children's snacks: Food for thought Useful information about snack nutrition.  Find out what "healthy" snacks and beverages are not and what foods are good to keep on hand for which age groups.   Other helpful strategies include packing a healthy dinner to go for a child who is picked up late from daycare, followed by a snack later at home (to avoid junky snacks killing the appetite for a healthy meal).   Feeding Infants and Toddlers  Top notch advice about introducing solid foods to your baby.  Helps you understand when, how much, and what to feed.   Food Allergies Excellent and comprehensive information about children and food allergies!   Introducing solid foods: What you need to know Does your baby reach for food at the dinner table? Is he or she still hungry after regular feedings? These may be signs that your baby is ready to start eating some solid food. Read more...     Preventing choking in Children This is an important read for all parents and caregivers.  Explains how to prevent choking (including what items and foods are choking hazards) and what to do if your child may be choking.   Top Ten Packable Lunches Kids Love by Katy Abel                  Helping Picky Eaters     10 Ways to Get Kids to Eat Fruits and Vegetables Some helpful and common sense suggestions.     10 Tips For Avoiding Food Fights & Eating Problems by Janice W. Woolley, M.D.   Eating Action Plan Trying to get your toddler to eat a more balanced range of foods?  Worried because your little one has an eating pattern different from your friend's child, or than what your older children had at this age?  Then this article should be a great help -- helpful tips, expert advice, and soothing reassurance for parents of children aged older baby through early preschool.   Food and Whine by Carol E. Watkins, M.D. Here's a great little article dealing with that challenge that almost all parents face: eating out with children! Excellent tips offered by the Northern County Psychiatric Associates of Baltimore, MD-- people who clearly know what makes us crazy.         Weight Issues   6 strategies for successful weight loss By now you've heard this weight-loss mantra many times: Eat less, exercise more. It's a simple concept that many find difficult to put into practice. Every day, you find yourself in all kinds of situations in which it's difficult to eat less.  And who has time to exercise? It seems you can barely get through a normal day, running kids to school, putting in long hours at your job, getting dinner together and tossing in a load of laundry. Exercise? Haven't you done enough already?  Read More...   Eating Disorders An explanation of anorexia and bulimia along with helpful information about their causes, consequences, and treatment.   Additional information about compulsive eating as well as anorexia & bulimia.     Stress Leads Kids to Unhealthy Diets See also:   Top Ten Sources of Stress for Kids         Useful Links   Learn About Eating Disorders  This site helps you answer the question: What is an eating disorder?  It talks about the ways of thinking and acting toward food and the body that can lead to bad health and emotional upset.  It also talks to kids about what to do when they think a friend has an eating disorder. You can also read: Binge Eating Disorder   Overeaters Anonymous For information about the disease of compulsive overeating and for help in finding a support group for recovery, visit the OA website.  Contact Information     Mayo Clinic Food & Nutrition Center Great information to help young people and adults make good choices about nutrition, including serving size, vitamins, healthy cooking, weight control, and more.   Toddler Feeding & Nutrition

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