Toddler takes too long to eat: What to do

Your toddler is such a slow eater - he can take up to an hour to finish her meal. How can you solve this feeding problem?

It's common for most children to go through a phase of slow eating, says Dr Chu Hui Ping, a specialist in Paediatrics and consultant at Raffles Children's Centre.

Still, you shouldn't allow him to take such a long time to finish a meal - he may lose interest in it and not take in enough nutrients.

Fix a feeding schedule that includes three main meals and one afternoon snack three to four hours apart, with each meal lasting not more than 30 minutes.

Prolonging mealtime just to get him to eat two mouthfuls more will only make it unbearable.

To build up his appetite, don't offer him any snack, juice or milk - other than water - between meals.

Keep the serving portion small, so that it's easier for him to eat it. And avoid distractions like TV, gadgets, books or toys.

Oh, and try our yummy and healthy recipes for toddlers, such as this homemade salmon balls in dashi soup and quinoa porridge with chicken and broccoli.

This article was first published in Young Parents.