Anyone else have an Uber-Picky Eater Child?
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Damn straight. I was forced to stay at the dinner table until I finished everything. I was force fed if I didn't eat. One time, I threw away rice in a (clean) trashbag and my grandma scooped it out and made me eat every bite. Pretty soon, you realize that food is costly and not plentiful. You eat or you starve. It was that simple.0
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When I was young, Mom made one meal for everyone. You ate it or you sat at the dinner table all night long until it was time for bed. That didn't mean you didn't have to eat it. She saved it for you for the next night.
We spend a ridiculous amount of time catering to our kids today. My philosophy is, put it out there, they'll eat when they get hungry enough.
Don't even get me started on designer pet food.
This. He's absolutely right.
Also get the child engaged in shopping and preparing meals. If you have a space for a garden, let them plant some veggies and grow them. If they're engaged in the process, they're more likely to be curious about the taste.0 -
When I was young, Mom made one meal for everyone. You ate it or you sat at the dinner table all night long until it was time for bed. That didn't mean you didn't have to eat it. She saved it for you for the next night.
We spend a ridiculous amount of time catering to our kids today. My philosophy is, put it out there, they'll eat when they get hungry enough.
Don't even get me started on designer pet food.
At 3 years old, my daughter does not understand this concept, yet.
I have a extremely picky eater. So, doing the whole "one dinner" deal doesn't work.0 -
My 5 year old son is hard to get to try new things. For at least a year we have tried to get him to try tomatoes and pickles, both he says he will try when he is a teenager. :laugh:
He shocks me sometimes though, he threw a few cans of baked beans in the shopping cart once, claiming he liked them and he does. He at an entire side of zucchini that I didn't want at a restaurant once and his top 3 go-to snacks are bananas, yogurt and cottage cheese.0 -
My 10 year old has Aspergers & sensory integration dysfuction with obsessive compulsive tendencies. Eating has always been a huge challenge with him--he is disturbed by taste, texture, & presentation. Although it's very rarely successful, I generally try to get him to take a bite of whatever we are having for dinner if it's something he hasn't had before. Sometimes he will be OK with the taste, but he still won't eat it. He does usually eat something other than what I've made for everyone else. To try to make certain he continues to grow & isn't too underweight:
I give him Carnation Instant Breakfast (pediasure is too expensive).
I have the Deceptively Delicious cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld. For the most part, it was too much of a pain in the rear to make those recipes--I hate to cook & there was a lot of prep. Mainly what I learned from it is to buy baby food purees & add them into the foods that he will eat. DO NOT GET CAUGHT doing this or it will ruin that food forever. Do not put in too much & change the flavor of the dish or it will ruin that food forever.
I give him a daily vitamin.
I buy things he likes to eat that he can prepare himself, choose my battles & try not to stress over it.
Over the weekend he ate a fried egg & said he liked it. That is a huge victory because he doesn't eat meat unless it is in spaghetti sauce or in chicken nugget form. I can't get him to eat any kind of bean. Now he has 1 more source of protein. Now I may be able to get him to eat a scrambled or boiled egg.
I don't believe in forcing kids to eat what they don't like--I'm too picky myself to feel OK about that. I have an alternative meal (oatmeal) for my other kids. If they don't like what I've made, they can make themselves some oatmeal--even my 7 year old can heat oatmeal in the microwave.0 -
I would definitely suggest getting your son to help you cook! Often times, if they help, they take pride in the dish that is being served and will want to eat it up!0
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That picture is from one of my daughter's Winter Formals. I probably cooked for her and her friends many times for events like that. When it was Prom, I also cooked for their dates.
I let them pick the menu, I prepared, served and for one prom even rented a car and chauffeered them. It was never considered a chore. My daughter is off to college now, but regularly calls me to get my thoughts on some new dish or how she should prepare something she bought on sale. I still run into those gals and boys around town all the time.
That was some of the best times I spent with her and her older sisters too.
Now they are all out of the house, but I know they are eating healthy.
Now my wife throws Wine Tasting parties and I enjoy preparing Tapas and dishes for them.
Cooking is fun. Enjoy it. Get your kids involved with you.0 -
When I was young, Mom made one meal for everyone. You ate it or you sat at the dinner table all night long until it was time for bed. That didn't mean you didn't have to eat it. She saved it for you for the next night.
We spend a ridiculous amount of time catering to our kids today. My philosophy is, put it out there, they'll eat when they get hungry enough.
Don't even get me started on designer pet food.
At 3 years old, my daughter does not understand this concept, yet.
I have a extremely picky eater. So, doing the whole "one dinner" deal doesn't work.
My 2 year old 'gets' this.0 -
I have two and the one that started out picky and thin is now adventurous with food and robust. The younger one started out eating everything that didn't move and now, as a teen, has very narrow tastes. So first, know that it probably has little to do with the way she will eat as an adult.
Try pasta sauce with lots of veggies ground up and hidden in it. I also love the above suggestion of involving her in the shopping and preparation of food. Very educational if nothing else.0 -
Holy crap, I saw this thread and had to reply. I often think I have the pickiest kid ever (age 3 & 1/2). He won't eat normal stuff like other kids. And I never, ever have fed him junk. We have given him nutritious, minimally-processed food from since he started solids. There's absolutely no candy, treats are TREATS (read: occasional).
It took me forever to get him to eat peanut butter, which all kids love. But that's the only sandwich he likes. I have tried to make food and our meals fun, interactive, etc -- I am all over that weelicious site, and others, and he just fights me every time. It's so frustrating, because I put in so much time, work, money, and effort into planning his meals and so much food goes to waste. I have enlisted his help in making the food, looking at cookbooks with me, shopping with me, etc. Everything is just a power struggle. I could feed him processed crap (hot dogs, Kraft mac & cheese, pop tarts, etc) and yes, he'd eat it, but I refuse to go that route. If I wouldn't eat it, he's not going to eat it.
One thing I DO NOT GET is parents who have the one bite rule. "you have to take one bite". I say that every time, and my son runs away from the table, throws the food on the floor, throws himself on the floor, etc. Seriously, how do you enforce that rule???
For the most part I try making him eat what I eat, and don't really do special meals just for him unless I am having something I KNOW he won't eat. My husband thinks it's just his age and he will slowly grow out of it. My niece was the same way, though, and she's 7 and still picky.
His one thing that is great though, is that if I put down -- for example -- a plate of steamed broccoli, and a PBJ sandwich, he will devour the broccoli and barely touch the sandwich. He gets veggies at every lunch and dinner, and loves loves loves plain steamed veggies. Thank god.0 -
I don't have a child, but I used to work for a pediatrician, and parents were constantly asking this question. Here is the standard answer: There are a lot of ways to trick your kids into eating healthy foods. Some involve creative cooking, some sheer force. Most are time consuming. Bottom line, a normal healthy child won't starve themselves. So if you make it so that broccoli is what's for dinner, and if you don't eat it, you go to bed hungry; Eventually your daughter will eat her broccoli so she doesn't starve and that will be that. Now, she might not like it, but she will eat it. It's up to you to decide how important it is for her to eat these things, and whether it's worth forcing her.
Also, my best friend's 6 year old daughter will only eat pizza and french fries when her mom is around. She will throw crazy fits. Whenever I babysit, she knows that is not an option and her auntie doesn't play that. She eats her vegetables when I'm around, and doesn't complain about it. Maybe trying a sterner approach ("You need to eat this" vs "Would you like to try this") could be an idea. But 10 is a hard age, she's almost at the point where she can fix her own food and might just grab a bowl of cereal instead of eating your dinner. Good luck!0 -
When I was young, Mom made one meal for everyone. You ate it or you sat at the dinner table all night long until it was time for bed. That didn't mean you didn't have to eat it. She saved it for you for the next night.
We spend a ridiculous amount of time catering to our kids today. My philosophy is, put it out there, they'll eat when they get hungry enough.
Don't even get me started on designer pet food.
A valid point of view. Is a problem with my generation.
Ever hear the comedian Dave Barry comment on what kind of food is best for dogs? His answer: 'brown'.
HA! I love Dave Barry!
I'm with the above poster. We have rarely had moments of pickiness in our house. IF I make a main dish that I know she hates or is too spicy or something, I'll make her a PB&J with some of the sides that everyone else in the house is having. However, if there is something new or something she hasn't liked before, the rule is that she has to eat one bite. If she doesn't like it, that's OK, she doesn't have to eat it, but I'm not making her anything else and she doesn't get any other food for the rest of the night. As another poster said, if she's hungry enough, she'll eat. She will not starve herself. I never buy chicken nuggets and whatnot. She can only eat what I offer and if I don't offer them, she can't "only eat" them. Good luck with your situation.0 -
that's utterly fabulous for you.When I was young, Mom made one meal for everyone. You ate it or you sat at the dinner table all night long until it was time for bed. That didn't mean you didn't have to eat it. She saved it for you for the next night.
We spend a ridiculous amount of time catering to our kids today. My philosophy is, put it out there, they'll eat when they get hungry enough.
Don't even get me started on designer pet food.
At 3 years old, my daughter does not understand this concept, yet.
I have a extremely picky eater. So, doing the whole "one dinner" deal doesn't work.
My 2 year old 'gets' this.
of course, all kids are different. you'll get kids with autism who'll only eat yellow food, as an extreme.
given identical situations, different children will not react in an identical way.0 -
I have yet to meet a 3-year-old that WASN'T a picky eater. We develop tastes for variety as our tastebuds mature. Your young child being picky is NORMAL. Just keep introducing kid-friendly foods at every meal and little by little they'll start trying things.
Compare the number of picky 3yos to the number of picky 25yos and you'll understand that most people grow out of it. Try to remember it's just a phase and that they do have a right to tell you what they want to eat to some regard. You wouldn't want someone force feeding you something you have no interest in, but you might be able to be persuaded to try something new if it looks/sounds palatable enough - kids are no different.
My son has high functioning autism and as a child he had severe sensory issues that caused him to throw up if he ate certain textures and flavors. He went through a phase where he'd eat nothing but pizza for 4 solid months. Today he is 16 and will eat anything you put in front of him, including foods he used to have meltdowns about if he even saw them on the same table. He is a skinny little Minny at 5'11" and 155 lbs, but that's because he works out with me and we eat good stuff. He has been doing his own research into fitness and healthy eating due to the examples of me and my best friend who is a fitness instructor. Kids change. People change.
I can tell you this, though: Letting your kids have a hot dog as a child isn't what causes life long struggles with obesity.0 -
I've got 3 girls - 11, 8, 8. We have an eating motto: You don't have to like it, you just have to try it.
Every week, each kid is expected to come up with 1 supper idea. She doesn't have to cook it (although she's always encouraged to help), she just has to come up with it. We have a shelf full of cook books with pics. They find something that looks good to them, we go over the ingredient list to make sure it fits our family's dietary needs, and it gets a yes or no vote. If yes, it goes up on the menu board, and penciled in for a supper.
Pickyness is HIGHLY discouraged. If you don't like something, pick it out. If you want to keep eating the same stuff all the time, yeah that's not gonna happen. Fast food crap is just that - CRAP! If we have burgers, tacos, pizza, that kind of stuff, they're always made ourselves. That way we can control what goes in/on them, and how its made.
All 3 kids have a well rounded palate, though like all human beings they have things they don't like. And that's okay. But again, they're simply not allowed to be picky.
Teach your kids about food. Kids get picky when food means nothing more to them than a way to fill their bellies. Adults are the same way, come to think of it. Kids are adventurous when their parents are adventurous. They're lazy when their parents are lazy. They're aware of and grateful for their bodily nourishment when their parents are also.
Teach your kids. Teach yourself. As far as "hiding" food? Yeah that's about the dumbest idea I could think of. What does that accomplish? Does that teach your kid that peas are good? NO. It instills in your kid the idea that he/she is right in fighting against peas, even if he/she eats them secretly. So you think there'll be a time when you're able to say, "But Johnny! You've been eating and loving peas for 4 years now!" and he'll suddenly go, "Oh Mother, you are so wise and smart and right! I now love peas thanks to your hiding them from me for so long!"? You've got a lot to learn about parenting if you can see this conversation playing out in your head. Give up the hiding, do the right thing, and get your kids to eat what they know and know what they eat. Hiding is just pointless.0 -
my kids aren't picky but...
i take them shopping and let them buy any fruit/veg that looks new & interesting. pretty & exotic fruits are great for tempting them.
i cut unloved veges small and mix them into home made lasagna, chili, etc.
i get them cooking. often the food prep, the quality time and the pride in what they produce creates a more accepting mindset when it comes time to eat.
i have open conversations about food & exercise & health. they aren't lectures, they're a two way street. we talk about their ideas for balancing a meal or their opinions on the future health of classmates who live on junk. whatever they want to talk about, because it keeps them aware of what they eat.
Can i get a like button! I will also add that with my kids if you dont want to eat dinner,lunch, bfast.... thats fine however that dont then get the fruit or cracker or whatever snack in between because they didn't at least eat some of the meal ..... they need to try to eat at least some of the healthy food i prepare for meals to earn snack time treats. but I will not force my kids to eat anything. My oldest has specific things that she just truely doesnt like. she will try it at every meal to see if she has changed her mind but she doesnt have to eat things she doesnt like the taste off.0 -
that's utterly fabulous for you.When I was young, Mom made one meal for everyone. You ate it or you sat at the dinner table all night long until it was time for bed. That didn't mean you didn't have to eat it. She saved it for you for the next night.
We spend a ridiculous amount of time catering to our kids today. My philosophy is, put it out there, they'll eat when they get hungry enough.
Don't even get me started on designer pet food.
At 3 years old, my daughter does not understand this concept, yet.
I have a extremely picky eater. So, doing the whole "one dinner" deal doesn't work.
My 2 year old 'gets' this.
of course, all kids are different. you'll get kids with autism who'll only eat yellow food, as an extreme.
given identical situations, different children will not react in an identical way.
I do agree that children with disabilities are most definitely an exception.0 -
I feel that all kids are picky eaters... Given the choice. I mean... who wouldn't like to eat the best tasting foods ALL of the time, if we can get away with it. I know my kids would love to eat pasta and mashed potatoes and cake, all of the time. However, I can also guarantee they won't let themselves go hungry (providing there isn't any health concerns or developmental issues) for any amount of time before giving in and eating something less enjoyable. I don't mean feeding them cabbage and lettuce but a plate of vegetables, that aren't naturally high in sugar (peas and corn), but broccoli and cauliflower or a bean salad.
I also highly agree with getting them to help cook the food and also help shop for the food. Kids will eat all kinds of new things if they pick it out and also help prepare it; food coloring can also help with some foods to make them more fun. Letting my kids pick out the produce I buy has led to me trying some new foods and also having to find interesting ways to prepare them.0 -
Kids become picky, unhealthy eaters because you gave them way too many sweet treats and not enough healthy foods from the cradle onward, leaving them to develop a taste exclusively for sweets and salts by the time they're old enough to choose for themselves.
Oh, crap!! I breastfed my daughters...what have I done?!:devil:0 -
My son has high functioning autism and as a child he had severe sensory issues that caused him to throw up if he ate certain textures and flavors. He went through a phase where he'd eat nothing but pizza for 4 solid months. Today he is 16 and will eat anything you put in front of him, including foods he used to have meltdowns about if he even saw them on the same table.
This gives me hope!0
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