Trying new foods

malcivar

So it seems that Chris is not really taking to the food provided by the pre-school.  I feel, in part, this is our fault because his grandmother (and me) have spoiled him to some extent.  When it's time for him to eat, his first reaction if it's not PB&J is to say no and push the plate away.  We then do hand over hand to pick up the spoon and take the 1st bite.  After that, most times he'll start eating on his own.  Sometimes he needs us to do it a couple more times.  I don't think they do that at school.  I mean self-feeding is not part of his IEP so why would they, right?  

For the last 2-3 days I've been sending a PB&J sandwich in his bag and obviously, he's eating it but I know that he can't eat PB&J ever day forever.  So my question is - any ideas for how to start getting him to eat different foods and to start doing so independently?  So that we don't have to assist him with starting?  

Thanks 

ridesbuttons

My gut would be to continue working at home on his skills and leave him to fend for himself at preschool.  Provided he is eating an adequate breakfast and dinner I don't see the harm in him missing out on lunch.  A rumbly tummy might encourage him to reach for the oranges (or whatever).

I am surprised that the school is allowing PB&J.  Every daycare and school I've been involved in has a strict NO PEANUT policy.

I'd like to add that as a kid, I ate a bologna sandwich with mustard every day at school for years.  Years.  Like more than 6 years. My mom felt guilty but that's what I wanted and that's what I would eat.  No harm done. 

malcivar

ridesbuttons:

I am surprised that the school is allowing PB&J.  Every daycare and school I've been involved in has a strict NO PEANUT policy.

I'd like to add that as a kid, I ate a bologna sandwich with mustard every day at school for years.  Years.  Like more than 6 years. My mom felt guilty but that's what I wanted and that's what I would eat.  No harm done. 

You know, I never thought to ask but it wasn't mentioned in the parent intro packet - the no peanut thing.  The only thing they recently sent to us was a note saying they wouldn't be able to heat up lunches for the kids so if you wanted to send something from home that required heating up - don't, or send it in a thermos.  

Its funny because that was me too.  PB&J, thermos full of milk and devil dogs.  Every day for years.  Still one of my favorite lunches ever.  :-) 

funchicken

ridesbuttons:

My gut would be to continue working at home on his skills and leave him to fend for himself at preschool.  Provided he is eating an adequate breakfast and dinner I don't see the harm in him missing out on lunch.  A rumbly tummy might encourage him to reach for the oranges (or whatever).

I am surprised that the school is allowing PB&J.  Every daycare and school I've been involved in has a strict NO PEANUT policy.

I'd like to add that as a kid, I ate a bologna sandwich with mustard every day at school for years.  Years.  Like more than 6 years. My mom felt guilty but that's what I wanted and that's what I would eat.  No harm done. 

I agree with this.  My kids often eat little to nothing for one or two meals a day and it's fine.  We've been trying to get DD1 to eat more fruit, so if she tells me she's hungry before dinner that's all we offer.

July_2009

I wrote a post about food/eating at preschool for my DS the other day on this forum. Just wanted to say that even I've been sending PB&J sandwich to his school everyday! I keep worrying that a new student with allergies would join his class and I will have nothing to send except yogurt..LOL! I have no advice, but just wanted to say I really have no idea how to get my DS to eat new foods, he has severe texture issues and actually one day threw his dinner on the floor because he didn't want it! Not to mention, he went to bed with a hungry tummy. 

realisticdreams

I'm surprised about the no peanut rule too.  Although I guess elementary schools don't have that rule, I know both places we looked at did.  

Peyton won't try ANYTHING new.  She basically lives off of chicken nuggets and french fries.  (Morgan, polar opposite eats eVERYTHING!)  I can get her to TRY something by saying if you don't try this you don't get X (favorite) but she normally will try it & say she doesn't like it.  

 

mtabern

Are you using any kind of reinforcement when he does eat independently? From a behavioral perspective it's key to give a child positive reinforcement for the behaviors you want them to keep up. So when he eats something other than PB&J you would give him a lot of verbal praise and maybe a treat of some kind. Hopefully he'll learn that trying other foods earns him a reward, even if that's just a, "Good job!", or a hug, and he'll begin to try them without the HOH prompting. You would want to increase the demand as he become more successful. So, at first, you give him high praise when he begins eating after HOH. Then you could require him to keep his plate in front of him before he gets any praise/reward. You would do this with each step until he tries things independently.

I hope this helps!