12 .5 mth old only eats jarred OR dry food. Need help!

[Lemonthyme]

I would say my son isn't fussy but he's going through a veggie refusal stage at the moment.  He will often only have one or two pieces and then they all go on the floor.  I think the route though to a permanently fussy child is to stop offering.  So, IMO, continue to offer, model the good behaviours yourself by eating the same food with them and you might find he tries it.  Let's face it, vegetables are pretty cheap, just buy seasonal stuff and you can always start involving him in meal choices as he gets older (i.e. give him choices of two things where both would be acceptable like, "do you want peas or do you want broccoli?")

In the meantime, why not sneak in some vegetables into other foods as an "insurance policy" so you're not that bothered if he eats the separate vegetables or not?  (Easing the pressure on you sometimes helps I hear.)

Here are some ideas for "hidden fruit and veggies":  http://mamacook.blogspot.com/2012/02/coping-with-fussy-babies-and-toddlers.html

[*Kara*]

Hi hun...

DD was much the same right around 12-13 months... the best advice I got about getting her to move away from jarred food - stop offering it.  Babies do know what they need and are fantastic self-regulators too.

Offer a variety and let him figure it out.  He may have a couple of days that he doesn't eat well, but he will catch on that the jars are gone very quickly.

Once I stopped jars, DD was a new kid after about a week!

[meredith1851]

I like your approach about getting rid of the jars, but what if he still refuses fruits and veggies after several days? I worry about him not getting the right nutrition. Oh and I only give him the organic fruit and veggies in a jar :-)

[Lemonthyme]

Well what about giving your own mashed foods?  What if he does refuse? 

Ok, maybe prepare a few food choices, something mashed and a couple of finger vegetables, see how he does.  Then offer some chopped up fruit, just take it away if he's not interested and ditto with some pudding, e.g. a yoghurt.  Take the pressure off, say to yourself it doesn't matter but also eat with him.  If you're really worried you could do as I do and always introduce new foods / textures etc at lunchtime and chose something 'safe' for tea?  That way, if your child's sleep is really affected by food or lack of (mine seems to be) then at least you have your teatime insurance policy! 

I wouldn't worry too much if he doesn't get his 5 a day as unprocessed fruit and veg, you can sneak in so much into stews, sauces etc.  Remember not everything he eats has to be solid finger foods.  We eat soft spoonable foods as adults sometimes and no-one thinks that's weird.

Maybe if you want to get away from the 'idea' of jars, it would be a good idea if you do still serve them to keep the jars out of sight.  I've heard some parents putting home made food into jars because their kids won't accept anything else which is a state I'd hate to get to.

[~Carly~]

Hi   I just have a moment, so I have not read through all the responses...  this might have already been suggested. 

When DS was small, I made all his baby food, so I was able to begin making it thicker/chunkier until he was finally eating regular table food.  Have you tried this, or adding bits of solid food to the purees? 

[*Kara*]

I like your approach about getting rid of the jars, but what if he still refuses fruits and veggies after several days? I worry about him not getting the right nutrition. Oh and I only give him the organic fruit and veggies in a jar :-)

I wouldn't worry honestly.  He may jump on the bandwagon the first day... he won't starve himself and may just need a push to try something new... DD was reluctant to try new things but when given the opportunity - she really took to it like a duck to water!

[We Three]

I agree...if he doesn't eat much for a few days, it won't harm him in the grand scheme of things.  If he were ill, he might not eat well for a few days, but they always bounce back. I'm interested to see if he eventually accepts things if the jars are taken out of the equation. 

[meredith1851]

I most often pour the jars into a bowl so not sure that is the issue. If I try and mash /make my own food though, he wont eat it. I have been getting him to eat banana but only if I hold it for him and let him bite it off. If I take a chunk and put it on his tray, he wont touch it or tosses it. I think he really has a texture issue. SO FRUSTRATED! 

[Lemonthyme]

Will he eat your food if it's the same texture as the jars?

[meredith1851]

Nope 

[*Kara*]

That makes me think that he just wants the bland taste of jarred food.  I really think you just have to stop offering it so that he will give real food a try hun.

[Lemonthyme]

Yep.  Also cheese.  Maybe use some sweeter vegetables in there too.  One thing I've noticed when looking at jars (I sometimes think I *must* be able to get some inspiration from looking at a jar!)  Anyway, generally I've found they're very low in meat and higher in vegetables like carrots and sweet potato. 

Is it even worth making something with the same ingredients to try if he'd take it?

Or have you tried putting your food in a jar?  Even if he doesn't directly see you taking it out of the jar kids are somehow aware of these things!