Picky Eaters: Rules, Tips & Tricks

[subliminalrabbit]

Since there's so much discussion going on in Spam about our picky eaters, I thought I'd start a thread to share our rules about eating (how we're managing the picky) and any tips and tricks that might work to get our LOs to eat a wider variety of foods.

[subliminalrabbit]

So there are exceptions when I don't make E eat what we eat, because I just know there's no way in hell it's gonna happen. Like when we have roasted veggies. He's just not into veggies and I always offer them but unless they're pureed (like saag) or in a baked good / veggie burger or pancake, forget it. At that point I'll make him a spinach or veggie burger to get those veggies in there and he has that with whatever else we're having.

And if he refuses all or part of his meal, I won't offer him an alternative dinner but I'll let him have an apple or banana.

[megsw85]

If either of the kids refuse supper they get nothing but water. However if they at least attempt or try their dinner they get an apple or banana

[musicalsilver]

LO only gets the option of whatever we're eating. The only exception is when we have something spicy. Spicy makes him scream, so we don't force it. He does always get the option of some fruit for "dessert" when we have some after we're done eating.

[daffy2k]

Cutting out snacks throughout the day has really helped her willingness to try new things. We have one snack, mid-afternoon, but I make sure it is at least 2hrs before supper time. Otherwise, no snacks. I also try to make sure at least 1 of the things I make for supper is something I know she likes. The rest she is encouraged to try. She has actually really surprised DH since we stopped "forcing" so much. We casually ask her once or twice to try one of the new things on her plate, but other than that we just leave her alone and talk about other things. We've exchanged several surprised glances lately as she pops vegetables she has previously refused into her mouth with no prompting. She still won't try a lot on her own but I feel like we are on the right track. I just keep sticking to my guns. Lots of healthy variety, no substitutions and no snacks.

[cl8badb]

My trick (shared in our old pie shop) is a little ketchup. I usually give J food without ketchup first and then when he slows down or says hes done when i feel that he didnt eat enough i usually give him a little ketchup and that usually does the trick.

[cl8badb]

Jan 17, 2015 11:28:49 GMT -5 daffy2k said:

Cutting out snacks throughout the day has really helped her willingness to try new things. We have one snack, mid-afternoon, but I make sure it is at least 2hrs before supper time. Otherwise, no snacks. I also try to make sure at least 1 of the things I make for supper is something I know she likes. The rest she is encouraged to try. She has actually really surprised DH since we stopped "forcing" so much. We casually ask her once or twice to try one of the new things on her plate, but other than that we just leave her alone and talk about other things. We've exchanged several surprised glances lately as she pops vegetables she has previously refused into her mouth with no prompting. She still won't try a lot on her own but I feel like we are on the right track. I just keep sticking to my guns. Lots of healthy variety, no substitutions and no snacks.

I can definitely see cutting out snacks making a difference. J used to eat 3 migger meals but now he likes to have a snack between meals which has resulted in him eating smaller meals.

[daffy2k]

cl8badb After reading the book vasc recommended I have totally changed my views on feeding toddlers. We are embracing a new food culture in our house and I love it! The snacking (even though generally healthy snacks) was totally hindering her willingness to try new things at meal times because she wasn't really that hungry.

[cl8badb]

Jan 17, 2015 11:51:09 GMT -5 daffy2k said:

cl8badb After reading the book vasc recommended I have totally changed my views on feeding toddlers. We are embracing a new food culture in our house and I love it! The snacking (even though generally healthy snacks) was totally hindering her willingness to try new things at meal times because she wasn't really that hungry.

Im going to have to cut back on snacks and give it a try.
First step, locking the cabinet where i store pouches and snacks.
He opens the cabinet and either says "nacks nacks nacks" or he grabs a pouch, gets all excited and then sits on the floor and waits for me to open it for him. Its so cute. How can i say no?

[vasc]

^^WSS. French Kids Eat Everything, yo.

[daffy2k]

cl8badb we had about 3-4 days where she would stand at the snack cupboard cry and bang on it (mostly because she loves to share her crackers and Cheerios with our little dog. They don't get to do this anymore). It passed pretty quickly and she's been pretty accepting of the new routine since. Yesterday she was incredibly hungry by about 11:15 so I bumped our lunch time up by about 25 min rather than serving a snack. It works

[graciel79]

I need all the help I can get on this topic. S is extremely picking. What he loves one day. or for even one minute, he refuses the next.
I definitely need to start hiding the snacks and look into this book.

[workinit]

I'm a grazer so I don't expect D to want just 3 meals a day. He usually gets breakfast, snack (basically 2nd breakfast), lunch, nap, snack, dinner. Somedays he eats a ton and others not much. He does great with veggies and fruit but meats are hit or miss. I try to give him protein throughout the day to make up for it. We do yogurt, cheese, beans and peanut butter as a good chunk of protein in his diet. I also make smoothies with spinach mixed in to help the cause. He usually gets crappy snacks at daycare but he actually eats whatever food I pack him for lunch there so I feel like it's pretty balanced. The kid loves treats though. I freeze Greek yogurt and call it ice cream and he gets so excited!

[cl8badb]

Jan 17, 2015 12:52:26 GMT -5 workinit said:

I'm a grazer so I don't expect D to want just 3 meals a day. He usually gets breakfast, snack (basically 2nd breakfast), lunch, nap, snack, dinner. Somedays he eats a ton and others not much. He does great with veggies and fruit but meats are hit or miss. I try to give him protein throughout the day to make up for it. We do yogurt, cheese, beans and peanut butter as a good chunk of protein in his diet. I also make smoothies with spinach mixed in to help the cause. He usually gets crappy snacks at daycare but he actually eats whatever food I pack him for lunch there so I feel like it's pretty balanced. The kid loves treats though. I freeze Greek yogurt and call it ice cream and he gets so excited!

This is pretty much us too. Veggies and fruit are a go but meat/poultry sometimes need some kethup or sauce to make them "special".

[heelibrarian]

megsw85 Samesies. We let DR have cereal if he totally refuses food, plus he knows he can have an apple or banana before bed. I'll admit I'm making more kid-friendly food nowadays. I really need to cut back on snacks too.

[dmlk413]

Following. My DD has always been horribly picky but lately it's so bad.

[subliminalrabbit]

vasc daffy2k, is it the kind of book that you want to keep opening and refer back to, or read once and done? I'd like to give it a go and it'll get read much more quickly if it's on my Kindle, but I've found that I do better with traditional books if I'm going to use them for reference.

Thanks!!

[daffy2k]

subliminalrabbit I don't think I'll be opening and re-opening it too much. The book is not really a How-To, more of an anecdotal story of her observations while living abroad (in rural France near her husband's family). She does more or less itemize 10 basic rules, but they are more lifestyle changes for the whole family so once implemented shouldn't require a ton of reference. Same with the few recipes at the end. There aren't that many that I feel the need to keep a hard copy in my kitchen. If anything, I may re-read the book later on if I feel we've slipped.

[ciahanna]

My problem isn't so much food, it's getting her to drink! On a good day I maybe get 8-12 ounces of liquid in her on a bad day it's more like 4! We always do 4oz of PediaSure in the morning then offer other stuff during the day, then try to get the last 4oz of the bottle of PediaSure in before bed. Sometimes it works, mostly is doesnt. She hates water,only sometimes tolerates juice, and will sometimes drink homemade Pedialyte. Mostly she drinks half & half (more calories) with chocolate powder. Don't flame me for the chocolate please, Pedi is fine with it, it's extra calories...Plus she actually chugs it down. Everything we give her to ear or drink has to have as many calories as possible because she has a really tough time maintaining weight. I'm just frustrated because I keep offering and she pushes the sippy away. Talk about Mommy guilt,I'm afraid she's going to dehydrate!

[subliminalrabbit]

ciahanna, it sounds to me like you're doing a terrific job! You can't force her -- and you're doing everything you can to make it appealing and nutritious!

[callmeKD]

G loves to dip her food in various sauces.

[ciahanna]

subliminalrabbit‌ Thanks! It's appreciated I've come to the conclusion that kids are perverse little creatures when it comes to food,drink...and sleep. They never do what you expect and some days it just makes you feel like a shitty parent!

[workinit]

Jan 18, 2015 0:48:59 GMT -5 ciahanna said:

subliminalrabbit‌ Thanks! It's appreciated I've come to the conclusion that kids are perverse little creatures when it comes to food,drink...and sleep. They never do what you expect and some days it just makes you feel like a shitty parent!

AMEN!!

[momofcatan]

ciahanna DD also does not drink a lot, and it worries me. Daycare is better at getting her to drink so I dont need to worry about it as much most days. I don't know if she drinks even 6 oz on the weekend says.

I'm also a French Kids Eat Everything fan. Like anything patenting I read I don't think its gospel, but I took a few idea from it that I liked. I also thought it was an interesting read as a story. Right now we also cut out snacks and I am going to try to implement no using food as reward/punishment.

Right now with DD if I put the food on the the fork for her, if I can convince her to hold the fork she will put it in her mouth. Weird, but it works. I also make at least one thing I know she will eat with dinner and usually no alternatives,

[momofcatan]

Oh ya, at home she only eats in the highchair, even when her snack is a pouch.