No veggies or fruit

ufrower · March 2013

Hi ladies -

So I feel like I am at my wits end. My son is going to be two next month and I cannot get a solid veggie or fruit in him! He has no problem with pureed forms of the fruit or veggie -- so I know it is a flavor issue. It is definitely a texture aversion. We have had him evaluated twice now and they say he doesn't qualify for occupational therapy. They told me to just keep trying and eventually he will get there.

He does eat -- mostly carbs. He does like bananas but that's as far as it goes. I wil get him to put the fruit or veggies to his lips but he won't actually eat it. The other problem that has arisen is that he has become lazy with feeding himself. I take full responsibility. My husband and I just have grown concerned with his eating so we end up feeding him just to make sure he eats. I have contemplated jiust putting the food on his highchair and letting him figure it out but I get worried that he won't eat.

He was born with torticollis (shortening of his neck muscle) as well as being an acid reflux baby. I suspect that the reflux might still be there and will be discussing it at his two year appt with the pedi.

I just am not sure what else to do. I am so fearful he is going to be going to kindergarten and still eating purees. Should I just stop cold-turkey?

hologram87 · March 2013

DD just turned 3 and we have the same issue. She is extremely particular about what she eats and does not like to try new things. She used to eat bananas and peas but not anymore. Don't know what changed. We do the applesauce pouches and freeze dried fruit (apples, pears) and fruit strips (not the best sugar wise, but I consider it kinda fruitish). Vegetables are non existent but I do veggie pasta and sometimes she will eat the carrots out of chicken noodle soup. I try not to stress to much about it but there are some meals that I get frustrated because I make the same things over and over.

When I took her in for her 3 year dr. appt I asked the dr about it and they said that she is definitely getting her calcium because she eats a lot of cheese and yogurt but that I should be giving her a vitamin since she might be lacking in the other areas. So now she takes half a Flintstone vitamin every morning with breakfast. She gets a lot of milk, yogurt and cheese so her calcium is good and she is healthy and active so I'm just hoping at some point fruits and veggies will get in her.

sugarbear0524 · March 2013

hologram87:
We do the applesauce pouches and freeze dried fruit (apples, pears) and fruit strips (not the best sugar wise, but I consider it kinda fruitish). Vegetables are non existent but I do veggie pasta and sometimes she will eat the carrots out of chicken noodle soup. I try not to stress to much about it but there are some meals that I get frustrated because I make the same things over and over.

Will you LO do any other pouches besides applesauce? I think the fruit/veggie combo ones do a good job of making the veggies taste palatable to a toddler. DS likes Pea/Apple, Butternut Squash/Apple, and Pear/Carrot, to name a few. Ironically, he doesn't like the applesauce ones.

hologram87 · March 2013

sugarbear0524:
hologram87:
We do the applesauce pouches and freeze dried fruit (apples, pears) and fruit strips (not the best sugar wise, but I consider it kinda fruitish). Vegetables are non existent but I do veggie pasta and sometimes she will eat the carrots out of chicken noodle soup. I try not to stress to much about it but there are some meals that I get frustrated because I make the same things over and over.
Will you LO do any other pouches besides applesauce? I think the fruit/veggie combo ones do a good job of making the veggies taste palatable to a toddler. DS likes Pea/Apple, Butternut Squash/Apple, and Pear/Carrot, to name a few. Ironically, he doesn't like the applesauce ones.

unfortunately no. She does the applesauce ones but the ones with fruit and vegetables are a different size with a different top and she knows the difference. sigh...

ufrower · March 2013

That's funny because my guy will do the other flavors but hates applesauce. There just is no rhyme or reason! I just hate feeling like I am wasting food because I try to get him to try new stuff and it just sits on his highchair.

JenniCollins · March 2013

hologram87:
sugarbear0524:
hologram87:
We do the applesauce pouches and freeze dried fruit (apples, pears) and fruit strips (not the best sugar wise, but I consider it kinda fruitish). Vegetables are non existent but I do veggie pasta and sometimes she will eat the carrots out of chicken noodle soup. I try not to stress to much about it but there are some meals that I get frustrated because I make the same things over and over.
Will you LO do any other pouches besides applesauce? I think the fruit/veggie combo ones do a good job of making the veggies taste palatable to a toddler. DS likes Pea/Apple, Butternut Squash/Apple, and Pear/Carrot, to name a few. Ironically, he doesn't like the applesauce ones.

unfortunately no. She does the applesauce ones but the ones with fruit and vegetables are a different size with a different top and she knows the difference. sigh...

Have you tried cleaning out an applesauce pouch and refilling it with a veggie combo one?

nital · March 2013

I simply don't offer much carb. I offer a balanced meal, and she doesn't get more meat unless she eats a decent amount of veggies as well. My daughter is also a lazy eater, and I use that to my advantage. If I have to feed her, she gets a spoon with both meat and veggie on it.

My daughter also still loves the purees, but I only keep them on hand for when we're out of the house, since they're easy and nonperishable.

logoz80 · March 2013

My daughter is 26 months old and wouldn't touch and eat a strawberry until a few days ago. She is underweight and is a picky eater. The best that I can say is that it will happen. I'm frustrated with her eating too.

NewFamily09 · March 2013

I feel like I could've written this. My son just turned 2 and is the same way, excpet that he hasn't eaten purees since he was under a year old. He won't touch any veggies at all, no matter what form. He used to eat anything and everything. Then he cut down to where he would only eat sweet potatoes and squash. Now he won't eat any veggies. If they are hidden in something he likes, he won't eat it at all. He consistently likes bananas, but every other fruit is hit or miss. He ate a ton of cantalope today, which was a nice surprise. Tomorrow he could totally reject it. Like your son, mine loves carbs. He could eat bread for every single meal. Our pediatrician said not to stress too much about it. I thought these were critical years, but the dr said that actually it's the teen years that are critical for nutrition and growth. He said just do your best for now and then when he gets a little older, like 4 or 5, you can start putting a little more discipline into it. For example, tell him he has to at least try everything on his plate. And if he refuses to eat it, then he goes hungry. At 2 years old, kids can't make the connection between "I'm hungry" and "it's because I refused to eat dinner." But by 4-5 they get it a little better. For now, if it were me, I would probably just let him have the purees. At least it's something. Do you make homemade purees? it's a lot cheaper than buying baby food? Also, you can make them gradually more chunky.

MKDee · March 2013

My 3.5 year old used to make himself vomit when presented with new foods, so believe me, I've been there. My only advice is to keep offering new foods, don't make a big deal about what he won't eat, and let others offer him new foods as well. It will get better, but it takes time. Will he do smoothies? That was my go to solution with DS1. He would go a week without letting any fruit or veggie pass his lips, but if I made a smoothie with fruit, milk, yogurt and ice, he would go to town. That and vegetable soup were it for a LONG time, but in the last few months, he's gotten over the texture thing, and he eats much better now. So hang in there!

ufrower · March 2013

Thanks, ladies for the support! I guess I just need to relax and let it be. It will hopefully work itself out.

Erinmmo · March 2013

I am right there with you too!! My daughter is 29 months and same way. I still give her pureed green beans and spinanch/veggies- am I embarrassed about it yes- but at least she gets it in her tummy. And we are lucky she likes those pear/spinach pouches too so she gets those during the week too.

And on a positive note- I probably put peas on her plate like 3 times a week to see if she will eat them for the past 6 months and just recently has she started taking a few bites- I slip them in there- so you just never know. Besides- what you do in your home and what works for your family is all that matters. You sound like you are doing and thinking of all you can to make sure he is healthy!!

bunny731 · March 2013

A way I get my kids to adopt veggies is for them to scoot a step stool next to me while I am preparing dinner/chopping vegetables when they are at their hungriest (I make sure they do not snack on other items too close to dinner). My 2 year old made it clear he did not like lettuce, but standing up while he was 'helping' me he had no issue with it--and continued to eat his salad that evening and since then. They always seem to be more willing to try in that setting (and while standing)-then when there are more options around them to choose from at the table.

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