I feel like we are living off of food pouches!

Jessdanrod · June 2014

My LO is very picky about what she eats. She is 14 months, I can't get her to eat any form of pasta, mac and cheese or potatoes, grilled chicken etc. I feel like we are living off of the food pouches. She loves blueberries, bananas and strawberries!!! No veggies, no bread, beans, pancakes, cheese. I feel like all she eats are the puree pouches, eggs and fruit. I am going to try those weenie things tonight. Is there anything else I can try?!?!?

Starfish+77 · June 2014

Whats a weenie thing?? My DD loves pouches still at 18.5 months. I have joked with DH that she'd probably eat poop from a pouch LOL. At that age DD loved sweet potatoes, butternut squash (both roasted), pizza, oatmeal and grilled cheese. To name some items not listed. I wish I could get her to eat eggs but no go. Especially since she won't eat most meats in order to get some protein in her. Oh and what about turkey or chicken hot dogs? GLuck to you..sometimes they don't like it the first few times but will eventually eat it! Just offer her whatever you're eating. They're all picky at that age but if you keep giving her the items she does eat, she won't learn to try anything else. :-)

ashiscute · June 2014

At that age both of my kids ate pretty well. They didn't get picky till later. I only buy apple sauce pouches and rarely give them at home. Usually they are reserved for trips to the zoo or something like that.

Like PP said if you give them pouches they will not learn to eat other foods. Give her the same foods you are eating for meals and snacks. She will learn quickly that these are the foods that she has to eat. Both of my kids love fruit because it's sweet and easy to eat. But keep mixing it up with foods prepared differently and serve with a safe food she'll eat.

Jessdanrod · June 2014

She loves pizza! lol. I have tried grilled cheese and jelly sandwiches. She doesnt want that. I do try to keep giving her other foods but if she doesnt want it, I end up doing what she wants. She does try it but after the first bite she makes a face and refuses. I guess I need to start cooking more for myself. It is only her and I, so I dont really cook stuff. I will try the turkey or chicken dogs. Thats what I meany by weenies, they have some small mini ones in the baby aisle.

pb_bride · June 2014

As others said, I'd just keep offering her real foods and put away all the pouches. DS is now 19m and I have only used pouches when he was 6m old and we were traveling. No pouches since he turned 6m. He eats what we eat and some nights he chose not to eat at all. Oh well, that's too bad.

Sometimes it has something to do with texture. When you say "pasta" have you tried different kinds? I found out DS didn't like penne or elbows because they were tough to chew. Rotini worked best for us, and I also have to overcook it a bit. He also likes tortellini, and lasagna noodles. How about spaghettil or angel hair? Or Asian rice noodles?

At 14m I don't think DS really liked grilled chicken (again too tough). He however likes poached chicken drumsticks. They stay moist and are very tender.

DS also disliked all forms of potatoes until he was closer to 15-16m. I've tried mashed, boiled, cooked in soups, oven-baked fries, and even french fries at restaurants - he still refused. Then one day he just decided he'll eat them.

I think Sweet potatoes are a safe bet. Cut into cubes and toss with a little oil and honey (or maple syrup) and a sprinkle of cinnamon. DS loves those to death.

P.S The first 2 times I made mac & cheese, DS refused to eat it. He wouldn't even try. Now it's one of his favorites (I actually add in pureed cauliflower in my mac & cheese to make it healthier).

Anyway, all I want to say is, it's normal for toddlers to be picky. If I cook something new for DS, it usually takes the 2nd or 3rd or 4th try before he'd even taste it. But I don't offer an alternative for him, though I always try to include something he does like in the food.

honeydew01 · June 2014

I'd continue offering her what you're eating and let her be exposed, if she eats them great if not, don't stress. I would not cook a separate meal though, just whatever you're having.

I have a very picky eater in my hands too but I don't have any advice on the pouches because I used the pouch to get some food in DD but she doesn't seem to care for them. I buy the yogurt kind for DD. She turns them upside down and let the yogurt pour on her tray and laugh. We've showed her several times how to eat them, she refuses us helping her so we give it to her and she pours it on the tray. She is a very smart kid so I always wonder why she doesn't get this. So we just rely on our finger food and offer her the pouch once in a while to I guess play with..

kcwnc · June 2014

Instead of whole meat you could try ground turkey or shredded chicken. We do a really quick mexi balls recipe; ground turkey, 1 egg, 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs, 1 cup cooked qunioa, salsa, Mexican shredded cheeses. Mix it all up and bake them in muffin tin.

maybebride · June 2014

My DS (18mos.) will only eat the pouches that contain Greek yogurt. We buy the Plum organic brand, usually two or three specific flavors. He eats one a day as his snack before nap and/or I keep one on us if we are out and about.

I second the yogurt suggestion. That has been our staple breakfast (mixed with fruit puree when he was younger, now with cut up berries) since at least 9 months old. I buy organic Greek yogurt to get as much protein in as possible since he can be hit or miss with meats.

But, really, the biggest thing is to fix him what we are eating and he'll eat what he eats. He usually gets a bite or so of anything we put down. I am VERY intent on not creating a picky child, so this has been our method from day one. I try to make one meal a day that I know he will eat (usually breakfast). We also still nurse and he loves milk.

lana22 · June 2014

I suggest same as some other posters. Serve what you're eating, and keep putting different foods prepared in new ways in front of her. Start with minced meats (chicken/turkey/pork/beef) and you can try different flavors/sauces. Maybe make an effort to cook more with fresh veggies - you can always use the crockpot or mix in some frozen vegetables. My older guy took ages to start eating meat (maybe 16 months?), so I know all kids are different.

Kids pick up your eating habits, so it's important to model good eating and be presenting a variety of foods at this age. Also agree with others that nothing wrong w/ pouches and fruit and things that she likes, but just make sure you are offering other foods, and don't take her initial negative reaction as a cue to never serve her X, Y or Z.

loeroam · June 2014

We had great success with spaghetti squash. DS eats just about anything, but won't eat the same food two days in a row...except for spaghetti squash. He will eat that all week if you let him. The hubs bakes it in the oven and then makes a cheese sause for it so it is like mac and cheese. DS seems to like this more than reg mac and cheese. It is softer and easier to chew. My other go to is whole wheat breaded chicken nuggets.

You might also want to try making your own puree and slowly making it chunkier and chunkier so that it isn't such a big adjustment all at once. We did that when DS first started on solids and it worked out well.

Good luck! My pediatrician told me as long as he is eating and it isn't all junk food, you aren't doing anyhting wrong. Feed them what they will eat and just keep trying.

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