Picky eaters

voplo · April 2014

So yes, my son used to be one of those who ate everything and anything. Now, suddenly, we can't go out of pasta (without sauce), cheese or hamburgers... He won't even try pizza.... (and he used to love it). So maybe I am not being creative enough with his meals. Any ideas to share?

By example: today he ate cheese and ham into a whole wheat tortilla (the ones for burritos). I rolled it and put in the microwave for a few seconds until the cheese melts and he will eat it

JaysonandKristin · April 2014

We are really big into Love & Logic. So, keep that in mind when you read my response.
If my kids don't want to eat what I'm serving, then they don't eat until the next meal.
Example: Otis (my 8/11 son) doesn't want to eat the fajita salad I made last night, he can pick off the parts he will eat, but that's it. Once he is done, he gets down from the table. If there is a power struggle, "I won't eat this!" I tell him, "That is so sad." The food gets taken away, and the meal is over for him.
The next morning, he will obviously be very hungry, I let him choose between two options, "Otis I know I would be really hungry if I missed dinner last night. Would you like scrambled eggs (duck eggs, btw, @CrashIntoMe‌ are highly unlikely to cause allergies and taste just like chicken eggs with a larger yolk!), or would you like oatmeal?" Because he skipped a meal last night, I give him a choice between 2 options that absolutely are no skin off my back to make.
The difference is, dinner was not a choice, and breakfast was. I grocery shop with specific dinner plans in mind. Typically, I have eggs and oatmeal and other options for breakfast on hand.

voplo · April 2014

JaysonandKristin said:

We are really big into Love & Logic. So, keep that in mind when you read my response. If my kids don't want to eat what I'm serving, then they don't eat until the next meal. Example: Otis (my 8/11 son) doesn't want to eat the fajita salad I made last night, he can pick off the parts he will eat, but that's it. Once he is done, he gets down from the table. If there is a power struggle, "I won't eat this!" I tell him, "That is so sad." The food gets taken away, and the meal is over for him. The next morning, he will obviously be very hungry, I let him choose between two options, "Otis I know I would be really hungry if I missed dinner last night. Would you like scrambled eggs (duck eggs, btw, @CrashIntoMe‌ are highly unlikely to cause allergies and taste just like chicken eggs with a larger yolk!), or would you like oatmeal?" Because he skipped a meal last night, I give him a choice between 2 options that absolutely are no skin off my back to make. The difference is, dinner was not a choice, and breakfast was. I grocery shop with specific dinner plans in mind. Typically, I have eggs and oatmeal and other options for breakfast on hand.

My husband and me, we were talking last night about doing exactly this. To be honest, the fault is on us, as we usually offer him 2 or even 3 choices for dinner... He never goes bed hungry and he always end getting what he wants. I think this is a good advice and we might start doing this as well. Thank you.

melissa0726 · April 2014

Trader Joe's has frozen turkey meatballs that DD1 pretty much lived on when she was going through a picky phase. One microwaves in a minute, so they're quick, too!

Does he like to help you in the kitchen? I pick the food and DD "helps" make hers. For example,quesadillas - she'll help pick what ingredients to use as her filling. Cheese, chicken, salsa, rice, peppers & onions, black beans,etc.

Oatmeal - we start off with plain oatmeal and DD gets to pick what goes in it - yogurt & blueberries and/or strawberries, and applesauce with cinnamon with a little brown sugar are favorites

english muffin pizzas - she gets to pick her toppings

Also, a lot of times, she prefers a simple platter of a variety of different things. I'll do a slice of turkey, a slice of cheese, blueberries or strawberries, carrot sticks, and a handful of goldfish or raisins.

voplo · April 2014

melissa0726 said:

Trader Joe's has frozen turkey meatballs that DD1 pretty much lived on when she was going through a picky phase. One microwaves in a minute, so they're quick, too!

Does he like to help you in the kitchen? I pick the food and DD "helps" make hers. For example,quesadillas - she'll help pick what ingredients to use as her filling. Cheese, chicken, salsa, rice, peppers & onions, black beans,etc.

Oatmeal - we start off with plain oatmeal and DD gets to pick what goes in it - yogurt & blueberries and/or strawberries, and applesauce with cinnamon with a little brown sugar are favorites

english muffin pizzas - she gets to pick her toppings

Also, a lot of times, she prefers a simple platter of a variety of different things. I'll do a slice of turkey, a slice of cheese, blueberries or strawberries, carrot sticks, and a handful of goldfish or raisins.

He loves helping in the kitchen, but only if we make something he likes like cookies or cinnamon rolls... The sad part is that he wont even touch any fruit or vegetable. Still, he will drink 2 or 3 glasses of V8 during lunch, covering his needs for vitamins for the day... I make him banana and strawberry smoothies, but now he won't even try those.... He used to eat 3-4 bananas at day, now that is gone as well... It is such a strange phase, we are 2 weeks into it and it doesn't seem to go anywhere. I'll definitely try to get him into oatmeal, and try to involve him more into making the food, maybe I get lucky and it works! Thank you for your input!

JaysonandKristin · April 2014

@twolittledogs‌ just noticed that!!

voplo · April 2014

Yesterday I made some tofu with rice. He didn't want it at first and he asked for pasta. I told him no, so he didn't eat. After an hour he wanted to eat...so i gave him again the tofu and rice...and he ate almost all... little cheeky monkey! I gave him a bit of ice cream for dessert after eating almost all his plate. We were both very happy

melissa0726 · April 2014

voplo said:

Yesterday I made some tofu with rice. He didn't want it at first and he asked for pasta. I told him no, so he didn't eat. After an hour he wanted to eat...so i gave him again the tofu and rice...and he ate almost all... little cheeky monkey! I gave him a bit of ice cream for dessert after eating almost all his plate. We were both very happy

I do this a lot, I forgot to mention this. DD has a big appetite and is a snacker. So if she doesn't eat her meal, she is inevitably asking for something to eat 30 minutes after we clean up. If we had something that I really KNOW she likes, I save her plate and offer it to her when she starts asking for snacks. I tell her she can't have any snacks or fruit until she eats her dinner plate. She almost always eats her dinner at that point

voplo · April 2014

I think my son is too smart for his own good. He is too cheeky... now he started saying phrases like "only a little please" "the last one, please" with this little puppy eyes...and I fall for them...

I just can't say no...what an awful parent!!!

Want a personalized experience?

Picky eaters

Re: Picky eaters

Choose Another Board

Search Boards