DD, age 5 1/2 has always been a "picky" eater. I try to offer at least one thing that she likes at dinner. She likes rice, couscous, corn, green beans and plain buttered pasta. She, even as a baby, did not care for meat. My Dr. said some kids are naturally vegetarians, and not to worry. Well, the issue is with protein. She doesn't eat cottage cheese, she does like yogurt, but just one kind. We've switched her (per our Dr.) back to whole milk. She likes cheese sticks and shredded, sliced cheese. She does not like peanut butter!

Well, we are fed up! Dinner is such an ordeal. We've started telling her that she has to try something new or else she loses a toy. We don't make a big deal, we set the timer and she has to try it. The other night, she ended up liking the spaghetti with sauce! So, it was a win for that. I just don't want this to get worse.

Does anyone have any ideas? She won't eat grilled cheese, peanut butter sandwiches, burgers! She loves salad and a few select fruits and veggies. She's growing like a weed and is not too thin. In fact, she looks like she is gaining. (We just started milk the other day, so it's not the milk. LOL)

Help!
Time to catch the bus--I'll try to check in later! Thanks!

By Tarable on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 12:18 pm:

I don't have many suggestions except I know my dds don't really care too much for sandwiches even burgers or hot dogs. They like rolls or biscuits but not regular bread or buns. I would try something like if you are having hamburgers give her one without the bun or not put together.. let her decide what she wants on it or if she just wants to eat the salad separate and the meat alone or with cheese (my kids also like the meat with some bbq sauce or something to dip it in). I know when I was a child i didn't like anything mixed together. I wanted to do it all myself, so my mom would even separate spaghetti and the sauce into different bowls and let me put how much I wanted on it. I still think she puts too much sauce on everything so I wanted to do it myself.

Everyone keeps telling me that I should give them something they like with the meal but make sure you don't make special meals for them. My kids are extremely picky too.

As for the protien I don't know what to tell you because my kids are the total opposite they don't want to eat any veggies just meat. Good luck.

By Luv2fly on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 12:49 pm:

My girls favorite is black beans that they put in a tortilla and roll up like a taco.

How about cheese filled pasta, like tortellini(sp?)...they have some green ones made with spinach.

How about cream cheese? Maybe a roll-up with tortilla ,cream cheese and a thin layer of lunch meat?

What about nuts for protein?


Like you I try and fix one thing I know my picky eater will like (youngesst dd) and then everyone has to try a "no-thank-you" bite of everything on their plate. Even if they have tried a bite at a previous meal and not liked it they have to try again. Surprising what she will sometimes eat all of and somestimes turn her nose up at. Just no predicting it hardly.

My youngest has dipping sauce for all her meat, usually ketchup but for meatballs she will use a red pasta sauce.

Now and then I will serve little bites on toothpicks with a dipping sauce, the girls will eat it just to play with toothpicks.

Good luck!

By Colette on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 12:59 pm:

Mollie Katzen has some great cookbooks for young kids. Maybe if she helped make it she would eat it?

you could also slip protein in by making your own soy milk smoothies. I use the silk vanilla soy milk, berries, orange juice and a frozen bannana (and sometimes peanut butter). The kids drink it like it's a frappe.

By Cybermommyx4 on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 01:19 pm:

I agree with the smoothie idea -- you can get a lot of protein in a smoothie. Does she eat eggs? (in any form?)

By Eve on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 08:31 pm:

I just had to come and post quickly before I get DD into bed...She ATE mashed potatoes and meat loaf!! She also ate a ton of steamed green beans and about 5 dinner rolls. My DH let her eat more because she actually ate, swallowed, and said "yumm" when eating! LOL Oh, and then she made herself some waffles for a bedtime snack.

Thanks for all of the ideas. I'm going to try the black beans. She'll eat them in soup and she loves to make herself a little burrito with cheese and lettuce. Colette, her Dr. asked me about smoothies too! She won't drink a milk shake. Is she the strangest kid? LOL I'm going to have to check out the cookbooks.

BTW-my little boy ate a whole piece of meatloaf, and a serving of mashed potatoes and also peas! LOL He's easy to please.

By Colette on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 08:54 pm:

Hope it works out Eve! I have one vegetarian, one junk food junkie - if I allowed it, and one who I think will end up being vegetarian as well.