Picky eater...for moms of BTDT
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Picky eater...for moms of BTDT
My DS almost 2 has never eaten much variety and is getting worse with each passing day. And even when he likes something he doesn't like it the next day.
DD was GREAT and ate EVERYTHING and fresh foods. So healthy (as a child, now she has tasted junk and likes it better...but I know she will return in her older years)
But DS. He eats PBJ and mandarin oranges for EVERY lunch. He will eat oatmeal or cereal for breakfast. He likes most fruit but that seems to becoming a smaller list. Veggies are impossible! I can even hide them. And no I'm not going to be making zucinni bread anytime soon. I just don't have time w/ this second child.
DInner is hit or miss. Will eat certain meats on certain days. Doesn't always like noodles (even w/ cheese) or potato. I don't let him feed on snacky stuff, so he has to be hungry.
Please someone who has btdt tell me that he will eventually eat real food, esp veggies.
Well no real BTDT advice from me but I would love to know if they do eventually end up eating right... My oldest is 12 and she will not eat ANY veggies at all. She will starve rather than eating them. I make her eat small portions and give her lots of fresh fruit and vitamins so she stays healthy. What surprises me is that when she was little she would not eat anything but veggies. Is this a passing phase or will she never eat veggies?
My other DD (10) eats all veggies and loves them, yet when she was little she wouldn't eat any veggies or fruit, only chicken and cereal.
I hope you find good answers for your son. And I would love to hear if it is likely mine will outgrow her eating habbits too.
What about a juicer? You can throw an apple in with any veggie, and it'll taste like apple juice. I used to do that and put it in sippy cups, so that they couldn't see what it really looked like.
I've heard that some kids love to eat frozen veggies, because they love everything frozen. You could always try some peas and carrots that way, or any veggies cubed and frozen.
Good luck!
alot of kids like to eat veggies if they can dip it in a sauce. ranch for instance.. barbecue sauce ketchup ... it gets the vitamins in them
One thing about little ones is that if they are hungry, they will eat. I wouldn't sweat it. He may be going through a period where he just doesn't need as much as he has up til now. Any time now, he will be so hungry that he won't be able to eat enough, and then he will go through a growth spurt!
Dana, I have a very picky eater(because of GERD) All I can say is keep offering him a variety of healthy foods, eventually he will eat more. My ds goes through stages, depending on how he is feeling. I just keep offering. My ds is slowly, but surely adding more and more things into his diet. His GI doctor told me that you have to offer foods an average of 10 times, before some kids will eat them. I just make sure to watch that he isn't snacking too much, or drinking too much milk. And like Lisa said, kids go through different stages. I know around 2, my ds, who was very busy, like yours, didn't seem to eat a lot.
What helped for us...
I found a wonderful stay at home mom, who used to teach elementary school, of 2 boys who is also a home daycare provider. One of the boys, who is just 6 months older than Connor, eats everything in sight. We forced Connor to eat one bite of everything on his plate (or else we wouldn't let him down from his chair) for a week. After that, I didn't make it into a big deal and he seemed more curious about new foods. He realized they're not that bad after all.
All the books and mothers boo-hoo forcing, and I don't agree with it either...but, a few days of it here and there and then acting like it's not a big deal if they don't want to try something new seemed to work for us.
It also helped to just have him watch older kids eat...especially other boys. There was competition all of the sudden. You might want to try to give his food to his sister and see if he changes his mind.
Think of his personality too...
Connor is the type of kid who thrives on routine and watches before he participates. So, it might just be part of his personality. But, it helps to "test the waters" and let him know that other foods are good too!  HTH!
Natalie is 2 1/2 and going through a food phase again. She was such a great eater until at least 1 1/2yrs. The child would eat 2 plates of broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, the good stuff! We're currently going through something where she really only eats PB&J and a fruit for lunch daily, blueberry waffles or yogurt fo brkfast, and dinner is hit and miss. She will eat mixed veggies, but that's it on the veggies now...RARELY a potato in any form.
It's discouraging, but I know it will pass. PB&J on whole wheat isn't TERRIBLE...I don't load up on the jelly and the pbutter is good protein and fat in it for her. We use sugar free syrup on waffles, and she drinks minimal juice but tons of water and a good amount of milk. She doesn't really eat meat, but loves chicken so that's a point for me. She may have 2 yogurts a day lately, but I've decided to cheer over those little successes. It seems to me that she has NO variety right now, but she doesn't seem to mind and she's healthy.
Stick with it. She used to eat raisins by the buckets and one day that just stopped and she doesn't want to look at a dried fruit. She also used to HATE bananas, but I'm going to try them again next week! LOL You never know. It's true...they will eat when they're hungry and if he's healthy I'm sure it's fine. I've never been one to do the sneaky stuff, but it's only because a)I don't think about it or b)I don't want the extra work!LOL
I have a picky eater and there are adults in my extended family who are picky eaters. I really think it's a genetic thing. The adults in my family get very irritated when people make fun of or criticize their eating habits. They feel like it is none of anyone else's business.
One family member teaches high school calculus and she has about 8 things she will eat most of which include the word in cheese. Growing up I think she had 5 things. She gained 3 with college and getting married. She's a perfectly healthy normal person (although I think she has stomach problems).
Another family member has a very small list of things she will eat. Peanut butter on bread is one of the primary things she will eat (on a daily basis). She also is totally normal, has a Masters Degree, married and a pack of kids. She ate the same exact thing everyday for lunch K-12.
My son is also very picky although not quite as picky as these other two - close but not quite. I never never never argue, battle or fight over food. I make him what he wants and what he will eat. He will starve himself otherwise. He eats nothing at all at school. If we go out or to someone's house to eat I won't bring him anything. I say nothing and let him figure out what he's going to eat if anything. He will try foods at other people's houses sometimes. He refused any and all food until after his 1st b-day. He loathed any kind of baby food.
As a former waitress, I tell you there is no explaining personal food preference. Some people even have a vomit type reaction to many foods we think are normal. For many it's a sensory thing along with other sensory things. Some people eat anything, others can't. I wouldn't make a big deal out of it.
I will add some sensory things too...
with Connor, he still likes his peas frozen. I used to "wake up" his mouth by brushing his gums with a small toothbrush. Otherwise, he would only eat crunchy things.
My DH has a gag reaction to cooked spinach. He still refuses to eat it after 1 bite. He tries every now and again, but still has the reflex.
I do continue to offer a variety. I just get so upset when I am throwing a plate of food away each night. I try having DD eat off his plate (that used to work). Never thought about serving frozen veggie...ick! But if it works YEAH. I esp hate dinner. Lunch and breakfast work out, but dinner. ARGHHH. I refuse to cook something different just for him. And as I said I don't let him eat snacky foods so he is not filling up there.
Thanks for the feedback. I'll let you know about the frozen veggies. Oh and dipping it does no good, he used the veggie like a spoon and just licks it off
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