Mealtime

lawrenfisher · March 2014

My 16 month old has weird eating habits. He has never really been a great eater with a healthy appetite but he would eat what I put in front of him. The past few weeks have been different. He seems to be more of a 'snacker'. He eats things like yogurt, applesauce, teddy Graham's and goldfish. I can't get him to eat anything better. Can anyone offer some thoughts or tips?

MomIn2013 · March 2014

My DS is more likely to eat what I've made if I sit down and eat it with him. Also, make sure he's actually hungry when you sit him down to eat a meal. If DS isn't really hungry, he usually just ends up playing with his food.

lawrenfisher · March 2014

You're right, I can't make him eat but he needs to eat something. I offer what I make and then give him time to eat it. He doesn't eat it, I give him something I know he'll eat.

MomIn2013 · March 2014

Maybe try switching up some of the things he used to eat a little bit. Like if he used to eat bread and cheese try bread and hummus or peanut butter, or instead of grilled cheese try mini pizzas.

lawrenfisher · March 2014

Wow, aggiecyd, thanks for pointing out that I'm 'the problem here'. You maybe could have found a nicer way to get your point across. I am a first time mom who is doing the best I can.

notreallyirish · March 2014

I agree with the others. Don't offer snacks right after a meal if he doesn't eat. If he genuinely refuses other foods work from what he does like and expand from there. Mix fruit or cereal into yogurt or applesauce, offer new foods alongside favorites. This is what the therapists suggested when my son was in feeding therapy. He is still picky, but we work on it constantly.

lawrenfisher · March 2014

I always offer those things, always have but he doesn't want them, won't pick them up.

notkateanymore · March 2014

lawrenfisher said:

I always offer those things, always have but he doesn't want them, won't pick them up.

Don't give him a choice.

notreallyirish · March 2014

I am not at all picking on you, but you have gotten some good advice and you seem to be resistant to it. If you have tried all these tactics and they didn't work you can do 3 things: try again, try harder (don't give in and give him what he likes) or call a professional for feeding therapy. He probably does not need therapy, but if you think you have tried everything else, go for it. I did it with my son, but unless there is a physical problem a lot of what they do is what has been suggested. Even in kids with sensory issues you just have to keep trying. There's no quick way to get them to be thrilled with new foods. It's just hard to get kids to eat sometimes. Keep trying. Be firm and consistent. There is not much else you can do.

jensriot · March 2014

Really your kid won't starve himself. Offer healthy foods and don't waver. If he doesn't want what you have served for dinner, don't try to force him to eat. BUT don't offer alternatives either. If you continue to offer the treats, he'll know he doesn't have to eat the meal.

notreallyirish · March 2014

DC2London said:
Truthfully, I full out stopped buying any snack foods for a while. I got sick of the tantrums when I wouldn't let him eat crackers for lunch, or chow down endlessly on popcorn and then have no appetite for dinner. I just stopped buying them. It was much easier to firmly say no one time in the grocery store than every hour on the hour at home. After a few months of just not really having snack food around (or hiding it in my closet--cough) he stopped asking for it so much.

I do this with myself too! If I know there are cookies in the pantry I will choose them over carrots every time.

lawrenfisher · March 2014

Thanks for all of the comments and input. They were very helpful, I think I finally feel ok saying "this is all you get" at meal time. I just feel bad because I hope he is getting enough

penguingrrl · March 2014

I'm a hard ass about food. I make one meal and if you don't eat it that's all you're offered until the next scheduled meal time. Even my 12 month old knows he has to eat what's in front of him and nothing else will be offered.

Now, with the girls I can see the difference between "I'm not in the mood for this but will dutifully choke it down" and "this food is making me gag and I really can't eat it" and if it's the latter they can have something else after trying what I made. If it's the former then I assume they aren't hungry and they can sit at the table with us and not eat until dinner's over.

notreallyirish · March 2014

lawrenfisher said:
Thanks for all of the comments and input. They were very helpful, I think I finally feel ok saying "this is all you get" at meal time. I just feel bad because I hope he is getting enough

He will get enough. If he refuses food for a long stretch you can give him something you know he will eat, but make it yogurt (or cheese or peanut butter) rather than teddy Grahams (or goldfish, etc.) Make sure you are getting the nutritional bang for your buck. Then try again next meal.

It's like discipline or parenting in general, you have to grit your teeth in the face of the short term sadness and whining and keep the long term in mind. He will suffer more long term from a poor overall diet than from being a little hungry now and then.

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