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Any luck with reforming a picky eater?

missfiremissfire member
in Pre-School and Daycare

My DS1 is so picky. Over the past 3 years, he has developed a smaller and smaller repertoire of food he will eat. He doesn't like food that is too cold, food that is lumpy or mixed together, or looks new or different. He likes crackers, cereal, cheese, peanut butter, some dried fruit, pancakes, French fries, chicken nuggets - pretty much what I used to judge other moms for when they fed their kids that stuff. :)

I have three kids to feed at the table now, and I want the babies to develop better habits. I'm still trying to introduce them to new things and get them used to eating food that we can all eat as a family. On weekdays we can't all eat together as a family at the same time, but the kids all can, and I get tired of feeding DS1 different food, and packing different daycare food for him.

I have tried a few meals where I put out the food we are all eating, making sure there is a choice he really likes, and then letting him know that he could choose from those foods but only those foods. It becomes a huge tantrum, where suddenly he HATES frenchtoast and just wants to eat Wheat Thins for breakfast, etc.  

 Has anyone reformed their picky eater successfully? How do I get from him wanting to pick out and control every aspect of his meals to being able to put out a single, healthy meal for all of them?

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Re: Any luck with reforming a picky eater?

  • roxy_jjroxy_jj member

    DD is pretty picky, although not as picky as your DS sounds.  She is getting better, but nowhere near being reformed.  I don't think it was anything specific that I did, she has simply gotten better as she's gotten older.  For dinner, I'll fix one meal and like you, there's usually one option that I know she'll eat.  Sometimes she eats her dinner and sometimes she doesn't.  Like last night, I think she only ate 2 bites of dinner.  I used to worry about her not eating enough, but I know that she'll eat when she's hungry.  If she doesn't eat much for dinner, she'll eat a big breakfast.  Some nights she shocks me and eats her whole dinner, even food that I was sure she wouldn't touch. 

    This morning I gave DD toast (she asked for that) and she refused to eat it because she didn't like the crunchy part.  I couldn't even figure what she was referring to (the crusts had already been removed).  

    Good luck, picky eaters are so frustrating! 

    Ms. A  - 2007, Mr. C - 2009
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  • macchiattomacchiatto member
    I know the frustration well! One of my boys is in feeding therapy (which has been very helpful!) and he does have some sensory and behavioral issues with feeding that we've addressed. To start with, I would try the "one meal" option consistently for several weeks before deciding if it works or not. If it doesn't, then when you're preparing the meal I would give him two things to choose between (for the entree and maybe a couple of the "sides") so he has some sense of control over it, and then make the same thing for the little ones too. I would also try "food chaining." https://www.amazon.com/Food-Chaining-Feeding-Problems-Child%C2%92s/dp/1600940161 (I haven't read this particular book but Alex's feeding therapist and OT have had us use some of the strategies.)
    fraternal twin boys born january 2009
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  • speckledfrogspeckledfrog member
    Try asking this over on the special needs board.  I know there are moms over there who are working with therapists on getting their kiddos to eat more kinds of foods.
    Lilypie First Birthday tickers
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  • MirandaHobbesMirandaHobbes member

    My son is also SN (ASD) and is picky/stubborn about food. I have no qualms about bribing him to eat. I'll give him one smartie for every bite of ___ that he eats. I try hard to make sure the food I give him tastes really good. I know it should go without saying, but I have memories as a child of being forced to eat really disgusting food (like steamed brussel sprouts) and it made me hate certain foods. So instead of giving him plain broccoli I'll jazz it up with cheese so he'll want it again. I've found that if he ends up liking the food he won't require bribing over time. Some things he just doesn't like and I don't push it too hard. He'll come around. I also make sure that if he doesn't eat his meal he doesn't get anything special if he's still hungry- he can get fruit, for example, but that's it.

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