fruit or no fruit?

secretsout · February 2014

My son has gotten pickier and pickier with what he eats lately and it is driving me kind of crazy. I know it is normal, but he seriously only wants macaroni and cheese, noodles, avocado, and fruit. I can usually get him to eat some breakfast protein like sausage or eggs, and chicken nuggets are sometimes well received but that is it.

Often, if I put something in front of him that he doesn't like or want, he will refuse to eat it and then ask for fruit. I've been hesitant to deny him because I figure that fruit is healthy and I don't want to discourage him from eating it, but I feel like he knows that if he doesn't eat his dinner he doesn't have to worry because he can have a banana or something.

I'm inclined to start withholding fruit if he doesn't eat his dinner, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not. Any advice?

littlestjerry · February 2014

I would kill for DS to eat fruit. He eats veggies, at least. I'd probably let the good times roll with the fruit because it's good for him. But I'm also at the end of my rope with the dinner fight and DS so maybe I'm projecting.

ASmallWonder · February 2014

Honestly, that diet isn't TOO bad so far as picky diets go. Can you try adding veggies into the mac and cheese and try making your own baked nuggets? If he likes fruit you could make smoothies that hide veggies in there as well.

NoSoup4You · February 2014

elmoali said:

Honestly, that diet isn't TOO bad so far as picky diets go. Can you try adding veggies into the mac and cheese and try making your own baked nuggets? If he likes fruit you could make smoothies that hide veggies in there as well.

This is what I was going to suggest. When DD was in her super picky stage, I would steam veggies, puree them, and add them to sauces. Spaghetti always got a ton of extra veggies. You could try carrots or butternut squash in with the mac and cheese. I would say freeze the purees into ice cube trays and then just pop them out as needed.

secretsout · February 2014

Thanks for the suggestions.

I do do some of those things to try and get his vegetables and nutrients in, but more than anything, I just want to be able to make one meal for everyone, put it in front of him and have him eat it, and I'm afraid that he knows that if he refuses that he gets what he wants instead (fruit).

Seems like this is pretty normal though, so maybe I should just roll with it and be glad at least he is desperate to eat a banana instead of a cookie? This food/dinner stuff is just really frustrating to me, especially when I am so exhausted when I get home from work and don't feel like making any dinner at all in the first place, much less one that only I end up eating.

TiffanyBerry · February 2014

I'd offer a set amount of fruit (but a reasonable amount) and let him eat in the order he wants. Once it's done, it's done - there's no more.

But the idea about butternut squash (roasted, with oil and salt, served warm *or* cold) is good - it tastes pretty good. You can also do a cinnamon and brown sugar combination on it - it doesn't need much brown sugar AT ALL.

secretsout · February 2014

susanb887 said:

How old? DD1 is this way. She barely eats. Fruit is something she will eat. I offer it at every meal if she won't eat anything else. She's 2.

He is two.

ASmallWonder · February 2014

jsgrl613 said:

Thanks for the suggestions.

I do do some of those things to try and get his vegetables and nutrients in, but more than anything, I just want to be able to make one meal for everyone, put it in front of him and have him eat it, and I'm afraid that he knows that if he refuses that he gets what he wants instead (fruit).

Seems like this is pretty normal though, so maybe I should just roll with it and be glad at least he is desperate to eat a banana instead of a cookie? This food/dinner stuff is just really frustrating to me, especially when I am so exhausted when I get home from work and don't feel like making any dinner at all in the first place, much less one that only I end up eating.

I hear you on this one. Does he eat well at (I'm assuming he's at daycare) daycare? You may want to look at his intake over the course of a week, not a day or by meal and see what happens if you don't give in to his request one night. Mine seriously will scream with hunger if I don't give him SOMETHING if he's boycotted dinner but I figure I just have to keep trying to get him to eat with us. It's frustrating to make dinner for just me when I'd be content with cereal but I just keep reminding myself that today may be a failure but I'm laying the ground work for it to (hopefully!) get better later

Maebb · February 2014

I like @TiffanyBerry's idea about setting a limit on the total amount per day. Maybe 4 pieces per day or something. But at least it's fruit and not candy bars or something like that.

secretsout · February 2014

elmoali said:

jsgrl613 said:

Thanks for the suggestions.

I do do some of those things to try and get his vegetables and nutrients in, but more than anything, I just want to be able to make one meal for everyone, put it in front of him and have him eat it, and I'm afraid that he knows that if he refuses that he gets what he wants instead (fruit).

Seems like this is pretty normal though, so maybe I should just roll with it and be glad at least he is desperate to eat a banana instead of a cookie? This food/dinner stuff is just really frustrating to me, especially when I am so exhausted when I get home from work and don't feel like making any dinner at all in the first place, much less one that only I end up eating.

I hear you on this one. Does he eat well at (I'm assuming he's at daycare) daycare? You may want to look at his intake over the course of a week, not a day or by meal and see what happens if you don't give in to his request one night. Mine seriously will scream with hunger if I don't give him SOMETHING if he's boycotted dinner but I figure I just have to keep trying to get him to eat with us. It's frustrating to make dinner for just me when I'd be content with cereal but I just keep reminding myself that today may be a failure but I'm laying the ground work for it to (hopefully!) get better later

He is not at daycare. My mother watches him during the day, which is great in so many ways, but she also spoils him more than daycare would and has difficulty taking a hard line on food, so I feel like I need to enforce it more at dinner. My husband is rarely home at dinner time so I just feel like I'm fighting a war all alone most evenings.

proudworkingmom82 · February 2014

Honestly my daughter is 5 and is still super picky. I get annoyed when she won't try new things but she too will always eat fruit. I have gotten to the point (and I know this is somewhat bad) but If she wont eat what i fix she is allowed to have fruit and sometimes a peanut butter sandwich so she doesn't go hungry. As long as it's fruit or a fairly healthy item that he is eating I would just go with it. I mean if it were donuts or something crazy unhealthy I would say to not let him eat it but since it's just fruit it really isn't harming anything I don't think.

littlestjerry · February 2014

jsgrl613 said:

Thanks for the suggestions.

I do do some of those things to try and get his vegetables and nutrients in, but more than anything, I just want to be able to make one meal for everyone, put it in front of him and have him eat it, and I'm afraid that he knows that if he refuses that he gets what he wants instead (fruit).

Seems like this is pretty normal though, so maybe I should just roll with it and be glad at least he is desperate to eat a banana instead of a cookie? This food/dinner stuff is just really frustrating to me, especially when I am so exhausted when I get home from work and don't feel like making any dinner at all in the first place, much less one that only I end up eating.

Yes, yes, yes. Raising kids is fun!

kmm2150 · February 2014

Can you try giving him the fruit with dinner? I know we try to give DD stuff we want her to eat but also include a choice or two that I know she'll like, then it seems like it's easier to sneak in a bite of veggies or whatever between the macaroni and bananas.

Our pedi has encouraged us not to offer alternatives because she'll just hold out for that but ya gotta do what ya gotta do sometimes.

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