I need H E L P.
My once-wonderful-eater is SOOO picky and inconsistent with the foods he'll eat and it's driving me bonkers. Eating is a game of keeping him distracted enough for me to jam food in his mouth. Usually it's a jar of baby food or applesauce because he'll eat that. I thought I was done buying baby food.
He used to eat just about anything. Is this sudden change of heart normal?
PLEASE comment about foods that your kiddos eat. I'll take ANY suggestions because I'm out of ideas. Breakfast isn't usually an issue but lunch and dinner are. It's not that he's not hungry. Once I find a food he'll eat - he definitely eats it. It's like he gets a new set of taste buds every morning.
Here's what I'm currently dealing with: he's wierd with meats . . . will rarely eat them even if it's fried or a part of a dish. He will rarely eat bread so a grilled cheese or a PB&J is out. He will eat fresh fruit . . . but one day he'll like it and the next he won't. He'll always eat cucumbers and pickles. Sometimes he'll eat what Wes and I are eating but most of the time I have to make him something different. And even then, he doesn't usually want it, either. I've tried to keep him on a healthy diet but he'll even say no to things like french fries & pizza. I didn't know that was possible!
I can't wait until he's old enough for me to say {and for him to understand}, "this is what's for dinner. If you don't want it . . . then don't eat till breakfast!" I look forward to reading any suggestions you may have!
16 comments:
In all honestly, i already do say "this is what's for dinner, if you don't want it then you don't eat till breakfast." I try not to be too mean about it, but I really don't have the time or energy to make Ashton a second meal...and like you are experiencing, I could make 5 different meals and each one would be thrown on the ground. Who knows what he wants to eat and when?! I am in the same boat is what I am trying to say. My doctor has always said that kids at this age just go through spurts. Sometimes Ashton will go all day with hardly eating anything. And the next day he eats everything I give him. I just try not to worry about it and go with the flow. Easier said than done I know, because sometimes it drives me NUTS!
my kids were just like this. we usually stick with the basics, quesadillas, corn dogs, pizza, oatmeal, connor likes plain turkey string cheese sorry i'm not much help
I agree with Laurel. Sometimes I wonder how they have any energy to even walk with the little that they eat and other days, being the best mom I am, they live off of cheez-its. Sometimes they do eat breakfast foods for lunch, too. But, I too, am a stickler on whats for dinner is whats for dinner. I think I started that at 18 mos. though. They go to bed hungry all the time. Now blake has to eat 6 bites of what is for dinner and if he does that, he can have popcorn after. But, thats not till later. They somehow keep growing, but I feel your pain. oh, and the meat thing is normal with almost EVERY kid. Don't stress, just give him a gummy vitamin! =)
Ditto. He will go through times where he's starving and times where he won't eat a thing. Don't sweat it. Save the money for the times when he wants food. He'll eat when he gets hungry.
If you are worried about it, fortify his milk with cereal or ice cream (that is what Daisy's Dr. keeps wanting to do if she doesn't get bigger).
I'm SOOOO frustrated with this too. Remember how good you made me feel about my little fresh veggie eater. Well I am so ashamed to admit that her diet mostly consists of like 5 foods now: cereal,chicken dinos, cheese, egg sandwiches (the light Jimmy Dean ones from F&E), most fruits, and carrots with way too much ranch. Oh and pasta with pesto. I use whole wheat pasta so I feel a little better. Oh and the second she sees ANYTHING sweet, she would eat that 'till she threw up if I let her.
But honestly, I always thought you cooked one dinner and your kids picked at it. But I ALWAYS give in. They have a completely different dinner every night and I can't seem to fix it. I never thought I'd have kids with the only-kid-food pallete. But I'm more lost than you. Good luck Linds.
I just read the other comments and now I'm a little embarassed. Apparently moms can do the "this is it" thing. My problem is not worrying that she's getting enough. If Mila doesn't eat what I give her I don't worry. But if Sophia doesn't eat it, she's fussing that she's hungry again before bed and I HATE that. THAT'S where it gets tough for me. She won't just not eat what I feed her. She'll nag and cry and scream for something different all night if I don't. So I just skip that and feed her her own sad kiddy dinner every night. Uggh! Can you tell this is a fresh wound for me?
I'm dealing with the SAME thing too! Olivia is suddenly so so picky! We do the Costco Mickey chx. nuggets for lunch a lot of days, along with fruit, so I don't feel guilty. :) I always heat up a little bowl of peas or corn or edamamme beans for her at dinner. And she likes oj, so I'm happy to give it to her once a day...at least it has vitamins and calcium!
One of the BEST things that we do is make a big pot of those Knorr's Rice Sides PLUS (the kind w/ a full serving of veggies). Then I divide it into small baggies and keep them in the freezer. That's our no-fail go-to meal. Have you tried mac 'n cheese? I make it and just add about half of the cheese. I've even snuck in a little baby food sweet potatoes or carrots. Let me know if you find anything that works!!!
Oh yeah....I've been dying to ask you if you've been able to wean Nate off of the bottle yet. I have tried and tried, and Liv REFUSES to drink milk from a sippy cup. I'm dying for help on this one. :)I'm ready to try chocolate milk!
Ryker has been getting pickier lately too, but if it has katsup on it he will eat it!
I am shutting down my hotmail account today and I was hoping you could sent me an invite to your blog at mckell.p@gmail.com Thanks a bunch and good luck with the eating thing. It will get easier so I am told.
Ben does the same thing. Here are a few foods that he's eaten lately though. Maybe you've already tried them.
pancakes, string cheese (cut up), chicken nuggets, cottage cheese, quesadillas, yogurt w/ cereal, pears, pizza.
If I let Ben dip his food in "dip" which is usually ketchup or salsa, he'll eat a lot more of it. He always asks for "dip dip".
He has his days though when he eats hardly anything. I figure he'll be alright though.
Good luck!
Reading this post gives me anxiety. I'm so nervous to hit this stage that will inevitably come (although, I think Kate could use a phase where she won't eat EVERYTHING).
I did read one thing that relates to the previous post. If he does like to dip things, give him all the dips he'll eat, like guacamole, yogurt, applesauce. I read that it's a common phase. But, I have no idea what I'm talking about. Yikes. Good luck.
I guess I'm bad, Jake is doing the same thing right now so usually right before bed i put goldfish in this funky decorated old cup and he eats them all!! With Jake he will eat his food if I let him use the normal plates, bowls or utensils.
i loved reading all 12 of your comments. can you tell you hit a hot button?
i am going to throw my two sense towards into the ring that says it's a phase and they'll eat when they're hungry. i like ali's comment of save your money (and your energy) for when they WILL eat.
things that work for us: frozen blueberries, little boxes of raisins, *they love the box just as much as the raisins*, craisins, yogurt *there are a ton of yogurt based smoothie drinks out there they like to drink with a straw too* string cheese or cheddar sticks, frozen peas, *i don't heat them up*, beans, mandarin oranges, grapes are never turned away, apples, bananas, gerber pasta pickups, and mac n cheese. that just about does it... oh, and we start each day with oatmeal. it makes me feel better about the downward spiral that will enevitably occur.
As if u need one more comment...but here's my 2 cents anyhow! I warm up frozen peas, and put them in a little kid-sized bowl which makes her think she's cool. She also loves canned green beans. Dipping is a big thing too. I can get her to eat more stuff if I just say she can "dip" it. Often, for breakfast, we'll have waffles and I cut them up and let her dip them herself in the syrup. Or for dinner, she likes to dip anything (I use ketchup a lot). Probably though, her TOP 2 favorite foods right now are frozen go-gurts (which I have to help her push up, but she LOVES LOVES them, she has them every morning for breakfast), and MorningStar brand soy sausage patties. Both, pretty healthy, and a BIG HIT around here.
Lauren has been picky lately too. This past week actually she didn't eat any of her dinner (3 nights in a row) and then threw her pasta on the ground and put the bowl on her head. If she or Taylor decide not to eat much we give them a Carnation Instant Breakfast drink (mixed w/ milk). It has plenty of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Lauren loves to dip so we use a ranch and ketchup. A staple in our home are Tyson's Chicken Fries, Mac & Cheese, and go-gurts(Lauren LOVES go-gurts!)
Good Luck!
I wish I had some advice for you, but Riley is almost 5 and I still don't know what to do with her!! I am counting on Ridge to be my good eater- and so far so good:)
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