Eating question for moms of 1-year-olds

MrsEditorJax · August 2010

Lately, Collin is on a "screw you, go away, I don't want to eat/drink that" strike for various things (and will in some cases turn around and love it again the next day), and in turn is not drinking the full 16-24 oz. of milk a day, and on some days doesn't get the suggested guideline for fruit and vegetables. It's driving me a little crazy ... I know you can't get every drop of everything on the food pyramid for toddlers into them every day, but the milk thing especially doesn't thrill me.

I was curious if other moms are having this struggle -- and how close they're getting to the recommended amounts of food every day.

pearly1 · August 2010

Our pedi recommended we focus on what he takes in over the course of a week rather than a day. That helps me a lot.

He'll always eat yogurt, so if we get that + water I figure that's an okay substitute for milk.

Also, I try hard not to push him, as crazy as it makes me when he doesn't want to eat. He has just figured out how to nod yes and I think he has also realized that he has opinions and that they count. So, I am trying to respect his desires and trust that if I continue to offer things without pressure he will nod yes when he's ready for it. That said, I always offer foods in this order: green, yellow/orange, red, brown, white. Because as soon as he sees the white food, it's all over for the broccoli.

scarletii · August 2010

pearly1:

Our pedi recommended we focus on what he takes in over the course of a week rather than a day. That helps me a lot.

He'll always eat yogurt, so if we get that + water I figure that's an okay substitute for milk.

Also, I try hard not to push him, as crazy as it makes me when he doesn't want to eat. He has just figured out how to nod yes and I think he has also realized that he has opinions and that they count. So, I am trying to respect his desires and trust that if I continue to offer things without pressure he will nod yes when he's ready for it. That said, I always offer foods in this order: green, yellow/orange, red, brown, white. Because as soon as he sees the white food, it's all over for the broccoli.

This! I also highly recommend the book "child of mine: feeding with love and good sense" by ellyn satter. My pedi recommended it to us. it covers feeding from newborn through preschool.

sometimes I start eating something and then Gavin wants to try it. So sometimes it helps not to put the food infront of baby first.

StellaZ · August 2010

I am just coming up on this as we have not transitioned to milk yet. But my super-picky eater has been much more open to new foods in the past 2 weeks. I think not choking on everything now has helped (thank god), but other ideas we've come across are....(apologies if some are really obvious)...

1. World Baby Foods - he loves all of them - so we stock those.

2. I put the food on his tray first (we are not into utensils yet) and self-exploration works better than me feeding him - but yeah, super messy.

3. G turns his nose up at most foods on a spoon at first - but will at least TRY most pinches of food from my fingers. Then, if he likes it enough he'll take more. off his tray himself.

4. Hiding veggies. I hope not to do this forever because I want him to like them - but for now he loves my spinach lasagna, cauliflower mac-n-cheese and broccoli turkey meatloaf!

5. Trying new foods all the time. Some kids like werido stuff. G loves scrambled eggs with feta and spinach - we make them every weekend now (I add salsa and sun dried tomatoes to mine)...go figure! I'm going to experiment with more veggies in eggs for sure.

MrsEditorJax · August 2010

The weird thing is, he has no problem trying new foods. He loves Mexican, Indian, Thai ... he just doesn't want the regular stuff like milk, yogurt (as of recently, which he used to love), fruit, etc. He can't eat panang curry every day! Argh!

mwhite5283 · August 2010

Also put some Polyvisol in his milk - helps with the things he may be missing if he's not drinking it all in a day.

RunnerMom155 · August 2010

Yep, and the struggle continues. I just keep offering but try other stuff in the same food group. S really digs cheese, so we do a lot of that.

Seattle_JiLLn · August 2010

Milk is not a requirement. He can get protein and calcium from other sources. 16 -24 oz of milk is the max they should have in a day so as not to displace other nutrients from their diets. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Kids go through picky stages. And like a lot of people said above, think about it generally over a week rather than daily. It all evens out unless you only eat chicken nuggets and goldfish every day and don't give other options.

WatchPot · August 2010

MrsEditorJax:
The weird thing is, he has no problem trying new foods. He loves Mexican, Indian, Thai ... he just doesn't want the regular stuff like milk, yogurt (as of recently, which he used to love), fruit, etc. He can't eat panang curry every day! Argh!

Maybe try a new kind of yogurt or serve it a different way? put it in a bowl if you usualy feed it from a cup, or vise versa. Add fruit to the top, different consistency ect... As they develop their tastes by trying new things, maybe he's just bored with Yogurt!

I failed miserably at the 1 year old eating thing. 2 years later we are still fighting the battles. next time around I'm going to do this differently for sure!

pearly1 · August 2010

Make him some raita!

MrsEditorJax · August 2010

WatchPot:

Maybe try a new kind of yogurt or serve it a different way? put it in a bowl if you usualy feed it from a cup, or vise versa. Add fruit to the top, different consistency ect... As they develop their tastes by trying new things, maybe he's just bored with Yogurt!

I'm thinking this is the case. We actually switched to a different kind, and has gradually been working up to this strike. Sorry, kiddo, I know you preferred the kind with high-fructose corn syrup (which I was not aware it had), but no more Yoplait for you! Healthy, organic, or bust!

I will definitely try the bowl thing, and top it with some fruit or maybe soft granola or something.

I always thought I was picky, and then I met my 1-year-old.

Seattle_JiLLn · August 2010

Try greek yogurt, more flavorful cheeses, spice up some mac n cheese with curry or something. Yor try making zucchini muffins or other baked goods with veggies/fruit in them. I make these super easy pumpkin muffins - just a spice cake mix, and a can of pumpkin (the soup can size not the giant one) and mix that together. No eggs or oil or anything. Then I make mini muffins out of it. Soemtiems I put in nuts and craisins too. I figure that's mostly pumpkin so there has to be some veggie points there right?

keri1013 · August 2010

::Raises hand:: One day, Max loves eggs. The next day, no egg will pass his lips, he just opens his mouth and lets it fall out. A week later, eggs are good again. Argh! It's this way with a lot of foods. And Max drinks 8 ounces of milk at the most in a day. Like pp said, I'm not too worried about it since milk isn't essential. Sounds like you have some good strategies to try on the yogurt. How does he feel about cheese? That's always a good way to get some calcium in, and at this age the fat is good for them too (would that that were still true for me!). He can also get calcium from some non-dairy foods too. Hang in there, you are not alone!

StellaZ · August 2010

Hey, check out Weelicious today - a great new yogurt idea - yum!

newmommy74 · August 2010

Coop was exactly the same a week ago - drove me crazy!!!! Everything went from his hand to the floor in .0 seconds & he then said "Nah" without even trying any of it. All I could really get in him was mac 'n cheese, yogurt, apples & stewed fruits, plus his bottles!

Now he seems back to normal - I think it was his new tooth coming through that was hurting him with other foods. That, or just that he wanted to be a pain in the butt! So hang in there, I am sure Collin will be back to his usual self soon. And boy I can't believe he eats Indian food - way to go Collin

Kglan · August 2010

Zach used to love bananas, even gets excited when you say the word banana; but the last 1.5 days...no banana will pass these lips! He went thru a stage like this with peaches. He would eat an entire peach at each meal, 3 a day...we went thru a TJs box of peaches in 4 days. But now that they are in season locally, he won't touch them. All kids are funny like this. I am reading Hungry Monkey right now, it's pretty funny (so true of our children) and writen by a local.

What Tracy (in the Evergreen parent-baby) keeps saying that count what they eat in a week is a good goal. Also, just keep offering things. They might need to try something almost 25-30 times before they decide they like it. Put choices on their tray so they feel like they have some control. We are entering the age of trying to assert some control over their life and with eating you do not want to battle because the child will always win. The part I am working hard on is to try hard not to react when they spit it out at you. Just say "ok, you don't want it (don't use the word like), how about trying this?" or just say "all done". They will tell us when their hungry. Zach ate 3 gyoza last night, who knew he'd even try them until you offer.

braveangel2 · August 2010

E didn't like cows milk...well ever really, but she tolerated goats milk once she hit about 17 months. I would drive myself crazy over her diet, so I tried taking the weekly approach too. I also just give her what I feel is a good mix...some days she gets grapes, turkey, avocado. Others she gets bread, eggs, more bread and ham. Then there are days where she's all about the grapefruit. I try not to push it, and so far no big issues. The pedi is pretty understanding...could be the look on my face that says "tell me something bad, and I'll cry for days" or even the "tell me something I'm doing wrong, and I'll give you the stink eye".

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