Pancakes

kateraid

So my 1 year old will only eat pancakes, animal crackers, granola bars and fruit.  Any ideas? I've tried tricking him into eating veggies. He used to eat so much more but these days it's on the floor if it's not a pancake.  Any ideas?

kateraid

See I feel like I need to do that also but then I feel awful if he didn't eat dinner and then he refuses to sleep unless he eats a freaking pancake! It's so crazy.  Will this phase pass? I am ok for meal ideas.  I have tons of options that I've made in the freezer for him.  I have everything from hand breaded baked zucchini sticks to tuna and veggie balls.  I make him new things once or twice a week and he turns them all down so I am creating this freezer stock pile. If I just offer new things and give in to the pancake phase he will grow out of it soon right? I just worry he's missing out on veggies.

dufferoo

Could you mix up your pancake routine? What would he think about banana oatmeal pancakes or savory cheese and pepper pancakes, etc.? Yeah, I'm sure he would smell tomfoolery, but it's at least worth a shot!

JENandJEH

I was going to suggest adding pureed veggies to your pancake batter.  

Also, I would do like PP said and offer 2 choices...if he doesn't eat, he doesn't eat.  A few nights of not eating and crying about it will likely help him to quickly learn that he needs to eat when/what is offered.  

shannm

Do you eat with him? Does he see you eating what he is offered? I think that helps too.

jnnfrrose6

JENandJEH said:

I was going to suggest adding pureed veggies to your pancake batter.  

Also, I would do like PP said and offer 2 choices...if he doesn't eat, he doesn't eat.  A few nights of not eating and crying about it will likely help him to quickly learn that he needs to eat when/what is offered.  

I also agree.  Yes he's still young, but he's going to start testing his boundaries and power.  One is over his food.  I'd stick to my guns, and while it may be heartbreaking the first day or 2, he will learn that he can either eat the food offered, or not, but he won't have any other options. 

allardr

My DD has her days (though nothing as bad as it seems you're going through). I wont lie in my worst moments I hold what she wants, in her case cheese. And I say take a bite of your chicken then you can have some cheese. Yes this is bribing and I'm ok with it, it got us through the bad days. Plus it's not like I offered something totally unhealthy. So say at dinner give LO what you're eating but have extra fruit on the side since you said LO likes that. Then after a bite of what is on his plate give him a bite or two of fruit. 

Also my LO hates veggies (fruit is great but veggies are horrible...she takes after me!) I've found I can puree her veggies and mix with mashed potatoes or the more frequent apple sauce. Even I eat more veggies now! Carrot Apple sauce given the right ratio is quite tasty! Definitely put pureed veggies into the pancake better (I found zucchini & cauliflower can't be 'tasted' again given the right ratio)

meglette417

As previous post said I do bribe sometimes as awful as it is.  I do give snacks but they are all healthy, he definitely doesn't get the cookies and candy we have around the house and he gets over it quickly.  Hoping it is a phase.

ktpaladino

Maybe one thing to try is to keep offering things along with the pancakes and other items he likes, but try to decrease the amount each time. Like give him 7 bites of pancake, then 6, then 5. That might help steer him towards the other foods. Kind of like a slow pancake weaning process haha. I get the frozen mixed veggies (carrots, corn, green beans, and lima beans) he thinks it's fun that he has so many options and colors in front of him, so maybe you could try that? Also, what about things that are similar to pancakes? Like the wheat Eggo waffles? Or honey oat bagels with veggie cream cheese?

BP607

I asked my pedi about this as well because it seems like his diet and appetite vary so much from one day to the other.  He said all you can do is offer it, let him try it, let him eat whatever he wants or nothing at all.  He says the food battle is one you will never win and it's not worth the fight.  

melody921

Stop offering pancakes. DD has been throwing a lot of food on the floor, even stuff I know she likes. He's not going to starve himself, but if you only offer what he loves, he will shun healthier options.

izziebee

I put bananas in my pancakes, I started this with DS1 and now it's the norm for us. At least it gets something healthy into them.

As for veggies, both my kids are horrible at eating them. With DS2 I recently cooked up some Butternut Squash and while he won't eat it on his own, I found that if I mash it up and mix it with pasta (he really likes Ditalini b/c he can stick his little fingers into them) he shovels it in. At least now he's getting a veggie. I figure next week I'll try giving him the actual veggie on it's own again to see if maybe he's adjusted to the taste via the pasta.

It's a struggle, I know.. we have gone through so many phases with DS1 who used to be a great eater then became horrible, only eating mac & cheese, chicken nuggets and fish sticks but now we are slowly getting good again. I've been trying a lot of different casseroles from the Kraft Foods website that he likes and is getting new foods into him.

GL!

kateraid

Thanks ladies.  I will stick to my guns.  I have offered him all kinds of options before I resort to the pancakes.  And yes, I have tried hiding veggies in the pancakes also.  I do make them as healthy as possible and due to his dairy allergy (MPI) he eats nothing too processed.  Most things I make from scratch. I think I'll offer him different options for breakfast and lunch and stick to my guns but I don't know how strong I can be if he chooses not to eat dinner.  Fingers crossed! 

mrsshawnavanb

How about these?? Can't hurt to try

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/vegetable-pancakes-recipe/index.html

skibunny59

I wouldn't give into the pancakes. 

theresat858 said:

kateraid said:

Thanks ladies.  I will stick to my guns.  I have offered him all kinds of options before I resort to the pancakes.  And yes, I have tried hiding veggies in the pancakes also.  I do make them as healthy as possible and due to his dairy allergy (MPI) he eats nothing too processed.  Most things I make from scratch. I think I'll offer him different options for breakfast and lunch and stick to my guns but I don't know how strong I can be if he chooses not to eat dinner.  Fingers crossed! 

If he doesn't eat, he doesn't eat.  My LO always eats more at breakfast if she doesn't eat well the night before.  Our rule is to offer 1 thing we know she likes and then what we are eating -- so if we are not eating anything that she has had before, we will give her some banana or blueberries or peas.  If she does not eat much at dinner, we offer her banana...most of the time she doesn't eat it, either... if a kid is hungry, they will eat. 

Stop offering pancakes.  My kid doesn't know what a pancake is, since most pancakes are nutrient-void mixtures of refined flour and then served with a side of sugar.  If you must offer a "pancake" make it something healthy.... we make blender banana 'pancakes' that are oats, milk, and banana sometimes. 

Not necessarily true.  We make our pancakes with whole weat pastry flour, no added sugar, and we always put a mashed banana or blueberries.  We also use full fat plain yogurt in them.  We also don't add any butter.  Oh and we only put a tiny bit of PURE maple syrup on top.

singingirl96

I know my kid LOVES anything pasta related.  So, before I offer pasta, I always offer veggies and other foods first.  Once he eats some of it, I give him what I know he likes.  Now he knows that he's only gonna get good stuff if he eats the others stuff first.

ashiscute

Nicb13 said:

theresat858 said:

kateraid said:

Thanks ladies.  I will stick to my guns.  I have offered him all kinds of options before I resort to the pancakes.  And yes, I have tried hiding veggies in the pancakes also.  I do make them as healthy as possible and due to his dairy allergy (MPI) he eats nothing too processed.  Most things I make from scratch. I think I'll offer him different options for breakfast and lunch and stick to my guns but I don't know how strong I can be if he chooses not to eat dinner.  Fingers crossed! 

If he doesn't eat, he doesn't eat.  My LO always eats more at breakfast if she doesn't eat well the night before.  Our rule is to offer 1 thing we know she likes and then what we are eating -- so if we are not eating anything that she has had before, we will give her some banana or blueberries or peas.  If she does not eat much at dinner, we offer her banana...most of the time she doesn't eat it, either... if a kid is hungry, they will eat. 

Stop offering pancakes.  My kid doesn't know what a pancake is, since most pancakes are nutrient-void mixtures of refined flour and then served with a side of sugar.  If you must offer a "pancake" make it something healthy.... we make blender banana 'pancakes' that are oats, milk, and banana sometimes. 

That's too bad. Pancakes are delish

Seriously, the hardest I've laughed ever on the Bump.  

vrj0522

DS will hardly ever eat veggies so I still give them to him in the form of baby food. For whatever reason he still likes his baby food jars and if it's what's going to work, then it's what I'll do. If by the end of the day he hasn't eaten any of the veggies offered to him, he gets a jar of baby food. It works for us.

gonggirl_98

We do a zucchini fritter in our house that often looks like a pancake. ;P K gobbles them up.

Shred a zucchini with cheese grater, add 1 egg and like 2-3 tablespoons of flour (I've used all purpose and self-rising - just depends on if you want it fluffy or not.) Salt and pepper to taste. They cook up pretty quickly and we usually get about 9 fritters out of it. She'd eat them all if I let her. 

newenglander71

gonggirl_98 said:

We do a zucchini fritter in our house that often looks like a pancake. ;P K gobbles them up.

Shred a zucchini with cheese grater, add 1 egg and like 2-3 tablespoons of flour (I've used all purpose and self-rising - just depends on if you want it fluffy or not.) Salt and pepper to taste. They cook up pretty quickly and we usually get about 9 fritters out of it. She'd eat them all if I let her. 

Great idea. Even though DS eats all sorts of veggies, I am always looking for others he might like. Thanks!

smileybabyboy

Deceptively Delicious is a great cookbook.  It has a pancake recipe where you add 1/2 cup of pureed sweet potato, but I've used bananas, applesauce, pumpkin instead.  You can mix in butternut squash in with mac and cheese and you can never tell.  Just an idea.  

plus12012

Add healthy things in to the pancakes. There are some really good pumpkin and sweet potato pancake recipes and whole wheat ones. You can mash up banana and mix it in pancakes or wheat germ.

zbeesma86

I just got the deceptively delicious book- and I love it! They have all these ways to sneak veg purees into food kids like!

DD goes through these phases too- her veggie/protein strikes.

We do pancakes once a week- we do buckwheat and blueberry! my fav! Also protein pancakes and good too! I have to find my recipe on that- but def try mixing up fruits you put in them or sneaking in a veg puree.

We also do green smoothies- spinach, zucchini, pineapple, oj, and a banana-- DD will drink an entire glass- she loves them!

Meery82

skibunny59 said:

I wouldn't give into the pancakes. 

theresat858 said:

kateraid said:

Thanks ladies.  I will stick to my guns.  I have offered him all kinds of options before I resort to the pancakes.  And yes, I have tried hiding veggies in the pancakes also.  I do make them as healthy as possible and due to his dairy allergy (MPI) he eats nothing too processed.  Most things I make from scratch. I think I'll offer him different options for breakfast and lunch and stick to my guns but I don't know how strong I can be if he chooses not to eat dinner.  Fingers crossed! 

If he doesn't eat, he doesn't eat.  My LO always eats more at breakfast if she doesn't eat well the night before.  Our rule is to offer 1 thing we know she likes and then what we are eating -- so if we are not eating anything that she has had before, we will give her some banana or blueberries or peas.  If she does not eat much at dinner, we offer her banana...most of the time she doesn't eat it, either... if a kid is hungry, they will eat. 

Stop offering pancakes.  My kid doesn't know what a pancake is, since most pancakes are nutrient-void mixtures of refined flour and then served with a side of sugar.  If you must offer a "pancake" make it something healthy.... we make blender banana 'pancakes' that are oats, milk, and banana sometimes. 

Not necessarily true.  We make our pancakes with whole weat pastry flour, no added sugar, and we always put a mashed banana or blueberries.  We also use full fat plain yogurt in them.  We also don't add any butter.  Oh and we only put a tiny bit of PURE maple syrup on top.

Agreed. My whole wheat pumpkin pancakes are pretty badass.

Meery82

Excited30 said:

I make quinoa pancakes.  They are good too.  1 cup cooked quinoa, 2 eggs mix in a bowl, sprinkle salt & pepper...add any other ingredients you so desire (veggies/meat) and then fry in pan.  Mmmmm Dd gobbles them up too.

@Excited30 I'm totally making these. What kind of veggies and meat do you like to add?

Meery82

Excited30 said:

I like ham, spinach, and some sort of cheese for my favorite  However, I sometimes add black beans, spinach, red bell peppers.  I've done cooked chicken and mixed veggies (the frozen kind).  It's all tasted good, truth be told.    

Awesome. Thanks for the ideas.

Meery82

Excited30 said:

Meery82 said:

Excited30 said:

I like ham, spinach, and some sort of cheese for my favorite  However, I sometimes add black beans, spinach, red bell peppers.  I've done cooked chicken and mixed veggies (the frozen kind).  It's all tasted good, truth be told.    

Awesome. Thanks for the ideas.

You're welcome.  I'd love to hear what you think and how it turns out for you.

I think I have all the ingredients, so I will probably try it out tomorrow. I will let you know.

Meery82

@excited30, I made chicken, spinach, and feta quinoa cakes for dinner. They were delicious! I will definitely be making them again. Next time, I might try butternut squash. Thanks again!