Pouching food; obsessed with one type of food

ilanat

My 2-year-old is obsessed with a particular kind of chicken that our local grocery store makes, called pretzel chicken, which is a chicken cutlet breaded with mashed pretzels.  He asks to eat it every night for dinner and if we don't have that for him, he pouches any other kind of food inside his cheeks and refuses to swallow it until he eventually spits it out.  We don't know how to handle this.  We want him to enjoy a variety of foods, as he has done in the past.  We give him many choices instead of pretzel chicken, and my in-laws actually said that we're catering too much to him and giving him too many choices, and that we should offer him one thing for dinner, or give him a choice between two things (not involving pretzel chicken) and if he doesn't want either of those things, then he will go to bed hungry. Any experience with this? 

Eskimokisses13

Our DD was very picky.  She is much better now, but still picky.  I had someone suggest putting a small amount of two things on her plate that she likes and then one new thing.  According to that person, kids are much more likely to try something new if they have known foods on their plate.  We did that and also implemented a must try the new food if she wanted seconds or a post dinner snack (piece of graham cracker).  We expanded her food list by quite a bit this way.  There are foods she doesn't like (like green beans and white potatoes); I don't push those. 

ilanat

Thanks.  We've done this.  We have put pretzel chicken and one other food on his plate (something he likes, actually, like meatballs, or hamburger, or chicken nuggets) and asked him to "take turns" with the pretzel chicken and the "other" food.  He agrees, but then pouches the "other" food.  I've also tried to be light-hearted with this and jokingly said that if he eats only pretzel chicken, he's "going to turn into a pretzel chicken, silly!"  He laughs and laughs and then gets a serious look and says, "I want pretzel chicken." 

emberlee3

Sometimes kids start to obsess over something if it is being restricted. What I would probably try is serving pretzel chicken once a week (or whatever frequency you are comfortable with) and let him eat as much as he wants.  Don't even worry if all he eats for dinner that night is pretzel chicken.  And the next night, if he asks for pretzel chicken, empathize: "Oh, you love pretzel chicken so much!  You want to eat it every day!  Tonight, we're having meatballs!  Yum!"  And then don't say a word about what he does or doesn't eat at dinner.

GillianB32

Sorry to hear about your issues. I wish I had a good piece of advice for you! However I don't but I just want to make you smile..Your story reminds me of the picky eaters series on mommyshorts...I had to laugh a lot when I read it. I hope its okay to post a link here, because I am not related to that site and they don't seem to sell stuff there.

Enjoy and keep smiling!

https://mommyshorts.com/2014/09/35-more-members-of-the-picky-eaters-club.html

mcgeeva

LalaMama81 said:

I would serve dinner and not say another word. He eats, great. He doesn't, his choice. All you can do is prepare a variety of healthful foods Ina variety of ways. You can't force him to eat. No cajoling, begging, bartering. He won't starve himself because he doesn't eat dinner. My 3 year seems to eat nothing for dinner most of the time but is perfectly healthy.

100% agree with this. We went through one rough spell around 2 but now at 2.5 my son will still eat about anything. It's eat what your served or nothing at all. The more you offer the harder it will be. They will dictate what you make every night and they need a variety of food. Like she said if they are hungry they will eat!

Beevol

If your son (who I'm assuming eats other foods throughout the day and is in good health) skips dinner once or twice, then that's OK. He wont be malnourished and you will not be a bad parent. 

It doesn't sound like he's a picky eater, it sounds like he is a toddler who has developed a relatively normal obsession and is asserting his control and independence - which is what he should be doing from a developmental perspective! Your job as a parent is to help him develop his independence and control in a pro-social fashion - whatever that means to you. 

For me, I tend to be on the moderately strict side because the goal for me is an adult who eats a well rounded diet, doesn't have weird food issues, and is a joy at dinner parties. So, I'm teaching my kid and enforcing that she at least taste everything that she is served, and then eat of it as much or as little as she wants, but that she can only have what is served. I do let DD have a say in what we have for dinner pretty regularly (e.g. which veggie - broccoli or peas?) and she "helps" us prepare meals. 

christinasullie37

I wish I had advise for you but I dont. My 2 year old refuses to eat dinner amd breakfast most days. But ahe is growing and so after a lot of convincing, not worried. My job is to offer a variety of healthy foods and if ahe chooses not to eat it then ao what. I sont reward her with snacks later either per the pedi later. She atill hasn't come around after 4 months and I will admit I am worried.

MommyAtty

My two year old has the same obsession with ravioli. We just say, "Nope! No ravioli tonight. Tacos!" or whatever we are having. A lot of times she eats almost nothing, but she's healthy and growing, so I figure it's okay. I don't serve things I know she doesn't care for, so it's not like we are being purposefully mean. What we don't do is make it into a battle. If she doesn't eat, we assume she's not particularly hungry.

DawnJM25

I agree with PPs.  You eat what's served to you or you don't eat. The bigger the deal you make it, the bigger the deal it will become.