Quote From: noeat1Our 3 1/2 year old son wont try any new foods. He generally eats fruit,yoghurt or raisin bread for breakfast, plain wholemeal bread for lunch and chicken nuggets with peas, beans and sweetcorn for dinner and often one milk drink. He will eat a lot of fruits, and cake, donuts, jelly, cookies etc (only as treats or after he has eaten his meal). He eats 3 good meals a day but not much variety, he is never very enthusiastic about eating dinner. I think he is bored of chicken nuggets but wont try anything else without a lot of pleading and bribing. We have tried everything we can think of to encourage him to try new foods but nothing seems to work. If he ever does try something he is very reluctant to eat it again anyway. He convinces himself that he doesn't like the food and makes himself gag before he even tastes it. He is a very strong willed and stubborn kid and I am getting quite frustrated. We dont want him to grow up to be a fussy eater who wont try anything. Any ideas? Does anyone have children that have grown out of this, it seems like it will never end!
Are you describing my child??? Do I ever know about picky eaters!! Mine is worse. Mine won't eat french fries, mash potatoes, gravies, sauces, creams. No cereal except cheerios because they don't have sugar. No candy, cake, brownies. Not even ice cream. No chicken or turkey or hamburg. My child was thrilled if you put broccoli and carrots in front of him. Loves milk. No juice, no sodas. He's never had birthday cake!
We found out that medication for his ADHD might have contributed to his taste buds. He is sensitve to textures.
I would put a few carrots on his plate. He had to try one new food (even a bite was acceptable) before he could have more. No snacks which wasn't a problem, really. No milk prior to eating because it fills them up. Give water (small amount) with meal and then more when they are done. Try adding things like cheese to scrambled eggs. My son refused to eat meat. I added hamburg to spaghetti sauce. Peanut butter? Put it on toast. PB&J was a staple for breakfast. Let him be creative. Everything gets dipped in peanut butter at my house. Hey, it's protein. Now that he's 8, he likes to watch fear factor. I let him create a fear factor snack. Get ready: cocoa puffs with shredded cheese, a squirt of catch up all inside a hotdog bun!!
Mine just started eating soft serve ice cream but no cone. Then I got him to try a milk shake. I advanced to yogurt shakes (he won't eat yogurt with a spoon, jello or pudding).
Just patience and creativity.
Let him pick out foods at the grocery store and then say "remember what you bought"? If you see a commerical or a coupon, get excited. WOW! That looks great. I'm hungry. Let's go buy some. Get him excited and see if he plays along with you.
I tried having people over for dinner thinking he would eat what other kids are eating.
He didn't like what they served at lunch but wouldn't eat what I packed. He told the lunch lady he had no money on his account so she would give him a PB&J sandwich. His pediatrician laughed and said that's fine. He is growing out of it and learning to eat more what others are eating.
I promise, it will change!!
