How do you handle picky eating?

Sunflower777 · December 2009

My 3.5 year old is getting progressively worse with his picky eating. I know it's fairly normal at this age, but I'm not sure what to do about it. I still try to serve healthy, square meals, knowing that he most likely won't touch it. Sometimes I try bartering with him - if he wants the garlic toast, he has to eat a carrot stick first.

We were at a family party over the weekend, and my MIL, some aunts (aka the older generation) were all like, "That's just the way they are at that age, you shouldn't try so hard to fight it."

Maybe that's true to a degree, but I also feel I have a responsibility as a parent to try and shape healthy eating habits now. Thoughts?? How do you handle a kid who just wants PB&J or mac & cheese?

s_angel · December 2009

Right there with you! Just read this article yesterday and took away some good ideas:

https://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/12/her_4yearold_wo.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed3

I am definitely guilty of using food as a reward. DH and I are going to make a concious effort to stop doing that.

LuvBug53 · December 2009

I feel exactly the same as you, that regardless of the way toddlers are if you allow them to think that pb/j and mac and cheese are acceptable measl all the time..then that's not good. My DD is really picky as well and the few things we've learned is: change the shapes of some foods, try cutting sandwiches out w/ little cookie cutters or cutting baby carrots into thin strips. Sometimes also she'll want a "big" piece of something..b/c she feels more grown up if her food isn't all cut up..so i'll let her decide how it should go on the plate. She also helps me prepare meals sometimes which gets her more into it. And when all else fails..we do bribe her...she is allowed bread at the start of the meal just like DH and I, but she only gets a very small bite until she eats more and often we just go back and forth..one bite of meat/veg and one bite of bread..and she's really happy with that. She also responds very well to having a "surprise" if she eats her meal..which can be anything from fruit or yogurt, to 1/2 a cupcake or a cookie or something. GL, i can't wait until she grows out of this stage....they do grow out of it don't they!!?

reemarie81 · December 2009

Most of the time whatever I make I will put on the boys plates along with stuff I know they will eat like cottage cheese and fruit. All DS1 wants to eat is grilled cheese and mac and cheese but we change it up for lunch. GL!

PinkPiano · December 2009

My oldest if 5 and and she went from being a great eater to pretty picky and now she is somewhere in-between. I never make special meals but we do usually offer choices at lunchtime & breakfast so there is some control and input allowed. At dinner, I serve our kids the same food we have on our plate. Some nights, dd will literally take one bit and say she's done and she doesn't like it. We just say "ok, but you aren't having anything else later." Sometimes she'll try more and sometimes she won't. When she does try a new food or eat something that she previously would not eat we give her a lot of praise and say how grown-up she is. Overall we just don't battle over the food or make it too big of a deal. Oh and at least once a week I do try to cook a meal I know she loves.

stacynikki · December 2009

This is going to sound really bad but I turn a cartoon on while we eat dinner and feed him. It works for us because he's so intent on watching his show that he doesn't care what gets put in his mouth. We turn the TV off after he's done. I've noticed that he's been sleeping later since we started doing this so I wonder if he was waking up early because he was hungry. If it helps him eat his veggies and feel full enough to sleep better then I'm not going to feel too bad about it!

shouldbworkin · December 2009

It really depends on the kid. My 2 y/o has always been a good eater, so if she goes on a food jag, I just keep offering her 1 thing she wants and 1 thing I want her to eat. If she wants to eat nuggets every day, that's fine. But, I will put it next to a veggie and offer some of what we're eating too. If she only eats what she wants and she's still hungry, I'll give her some yogurt or fruit.

My DS has never been a good eater, so he gets what he wants and can always eat whatever else is served if he wants. I don't force it with him (or my DD, really). But, they can't have snacks or junk in place of real food. Their meals sit out for awhile in case they want to come back to them later.

And, the only rule I really stick to is, whatever they ask me to make, they can't change their mind once it's made. I don't mind making something special, it's really not that hard to do. But, I'm not running around trying to suit their every whim.

becoming_untied · December 2009

This use to stress me out big time because I wanted them to have full bellies, lots of nutrition. These days I don't worry about those aspects too much, it just ticks me off to hear the complaining. "I don't like that!" "I want pb&j and chocolated milk!"

I long for a time to make a dinner and hear "thanks mom, that was good!" when it is something other than chicken nuggets and fruit.

Like others I now give them some choices for breakfast and lunch, but dinner is not negotiable. They can either eat it of not and they are not supposed to complain about it. I try to provide 1-2 things in the meal that they are likely to eat and I don't worry about the rest anymore.

As someone who battles their weight I refuse to bribe with foods or battle with foods and my kids. Too bad I can't get other people to follow my lead in my house (DH, visiting aunts). Good luck!

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