A parent tells the nurse that their preschool-aged child has suddenly become disinterested in certain foods. Which statement should the nurse make?

A parent tells the nurse that their preschool-aged child has suddenly become disinterested in certain foods. Which statement should the nurse make?

• A. During this phase, feed your child anything that she will eat
• B. Provide a large variety of fruit juices for your child to choose from
• C. Keep a diary of the foods your child eats each day
• D. Increase the amount of calories and water your child consumes

Answer: (C)

When a preschooler shows disinterest in certain foods, the best next step is to systematically track what the child eats with a daily food diary. Recording all foods offered and consumed, including serving sizes and meal times, gives a clear picture of intake and patterns over days. This helps you see if the child is getting a balanced mix of nutrients (such as protein, fruits/vegetables, grains, calcium) and whether there are persistent gaps or preferences that could affect growth. With this information, parents and clinicians can tailor strategies—like repeated but pressure-free exposure to new foods, maintaining regular meals and snacks, and addressing textures or sensory issues—without undermining growth. Keeping a diary is more useful than simply feeding the child anything, which can reinforce picky eating and insufficient nutrition. Relying on a large variety of fruit juices isn’t advisable because juice is high in sugar and can reduce appetite for solid foods and lead to nutritional imbalances. Simply increasing calories and water isn’t targeted or supportive of establishing healthy eating patterns; the focus should be on offering balanced meals and appropriate portions while tracking intake to ensure growth and development are on track.

When a preschooler shows disinterest in certain foods, the best next step is to systematically track what the child eats with a daily food diary. Recording all foods offered and consumed, including serving sizes and meal times, gives a clear picture of intake and patterns over days. This helps you see if the child is getting a balanced mix of nutrients (such as protein, fruits/vegetables, grains, calcium) and whether there are persistent gaps or preferences that could affect growth. With this information, parents and clinicians can tailor strategies—like repeated but pressure-free exposure to new foods, maintaining regular meals and snacks, and addressing textures or sensory issues—without undermining growth.

Keeping a diary is more useful than simply feeding the child anything, which can reinforce picky eating and insufficient nutrition. Relying on a large variety of fruit juices isn’t advisable because juice is high in sugar and can reduce appetite for solid foods and lead to nutritional imbalances. Simply increasing calories and water isn’t targeted or supportive of establishing healthy eating patterns; the focus should be on offering balanced meals and appropriate portions while tracking intake to ensure growth and development are on track.