In this post on Nutrition, Dr. Laura Jana has a tip to address the common phrase, “I don’t like that.” If you’ve enjoyed Dr. Jana’s Q&A this month log on to her Web site, drlaurajana.com, where you can order a signed copy of her book,  “Food Fights: Winning the Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed with Insight, Humor and a Bottle of Ketchup.”

You can read Parts One and Two of this series by clicking here.

Dr. Z: How do you address the phrase “I don’t like that?”

Dr. J: I like to remind parents that it is important to acknowledge that children are entitled to have true likes and dislikes just as parents do. That said, the phrase "I don't like that" is often uttered before a child gives a new food a chance, which is why I'm a big fan of the "no thank you bite." Did you know that it can take 10-15 exposures to a new food before a child learns to like it? I recommend allowing a resistant child to simply take a “no-thank you bite” of the scorned food. Children often respond well to this approach because it gives them some needed control.  Also, taking one bite is much more manageable than staring down a heaping helping. I have found that this is a workable way to accomplish the goal of exposing children to new foods and flavors without forcing the issue.

This week, I’m continuing my interview with Dr. Laura Jana who has answers to some common food-related questions from parents. Let’s dig in!

You can read Part One of this series by clicking here.

Dr. Z: Here’s a question I often hear: Should children take multivitamin supplements?

Dr. J: This is a very commonly asked question, and a couple of important and often necessary vitamins and supplements are worth mentioning.

• Iron: Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in children. All babies start off with a store of iron that they get from their mothers during pregnancy, but some end up becoming deficient towards the end of their first year. Pediatricians routinely screen for iron deficiency and, if needed, recommend iron supplements.
• Vitamin D: Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium absorption and building strong bones. Unfortunately, recent studies suggest that a majority of children simply don't get enough in their daily diets. Infants who are drinking at least 27 ounces a day of formula get all the Vitamin D they need from their formula, but breastfed babies need supplemental vitamin D starting within the first few days of life. It is recommended now that any toddler or older child who isn't drinking 32 ounces of vitamin D fortified milk should also be given a vitamin D supplement. In other words – most children need a supplement!

Now that the sugar-filled holidays are over, I thought it would be a good time to focus on healthy eating habits. Childhood obesity is an increasingly critical issue in our country and parents are on the frontlines wanting to know what’s best for their children’s health. We are lucky at Primrose to count Dr. Laura Jana as one of our franchise owners. She is a trusted pediatrician and co-author of the book “Food Fights: Winning the Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed with Insight, Humor and a Bottle of Ketchup.” I’ve compiled questions that I frequently hear from parents and asked Dr. Jana to share some insights with us. This week, we’ll start with a focus on fruits and veggies. Next week, we’ll turn to other common questions like children’s vitamins and 2% milk.  I think you’ll find her expert advice to be down to earth and very helpful so be sure to check back in for more tips!

Dr. Z:  Are there foods that are commonly missing from children’s diets?

Dr. J: Although missing foods can vary from child to child, on the whole I'd have to say vegetables are the most notably lacking, followed by fruits. However, I’ve seen picky eaters whose diets were significantly lacking in other important food groups, like protein. In some cases, children will often refuse to drink milk, which makes it more important to pay attention to how to include other dairy and calcium enriched foods in their diet.