nearly 3 year old won't eat any veg and very little fruit

[Iris75]

My LO is three at the end of September and he's always been a picky eater. He LOVES milk and drinking yoghurts and if I let him I'm sure that's all he'd have. I don't know if it's a laziness thing or what, but he doesn't even like the yoghurts that you spoon in, only the drinking type. I think it followed right on from bf when he was little - he substituted the milk / yoghurt love for the bf that he didn't have anymore and now it seems to mean not only food but also comfort and reassurance and all those things...

Anyway, my main problem is not that he likes his dairy products but rather that he doesn't like much else. Sometimes (rarely) he'll have a relatively good eating phase and then I can get some fruit into him and occasionally some meat (he tends to like pieces of chicken or pork, very occasionally mince) but these phases are few and far between.

Right now he's in a bad eating phase and has been for about 2 months now and it's driving me round the bend with worry. Even when his appetite is better he won't have any veg, but at least he'll heat fruit etc., but right now it's such a struggle to get him to eat anything. I've substituted real fruit for real fruit smoothies, so at least he gets some vitamins, but vegetables are out of the question and very little else goes in. He lives on a kind of monoculture of toast with butter and marmite and pasta without any sauce. Oh, and the milk and yoghurt of course. 

Am I alone with this kind of problem or are toddlers who only eat two things more common than it seems? Sometimes it seems like none of the other toddlers I know have any eating problems...  Maybe it's also me? Should I be more strict and get him to at least try things? I tend to not force him because I don't want eating to become a bad experience for him. Maybe I should be more tough with that? I sometimes have success in 'smuggling' food into playtime and he'll eat it in a sort of distracted way but surely that isn't a great way forwards either?! 

Any ideas on how to improve eating habits would be greatly appreciated!!

[leosmommy]

I feel like I'm reading my own post!!!  My son is EXACTLY the same!!! 

When I make smoothies I add a handful of spinach.  It grinds right up, and you can't see it or taste it. Maybe give that a try. 

My son also loves pancakes, so I can get quite a bit of healthy stuff in those too like pureed carrots, sweet potatoes, prunes, aplesauce ( I get baby food if I'm feeling too lazy to make it myself).  I also add some ground flax and use whole wheat flour... and some choc. chips... that guarantees he'll eat them! 

Have you tried dips for veggies? Doesn't work for my son, he just uses the carrot sticks or cucumbers to eat the dip off of and not to bite and eat

The only time my son will eat chicken is if it is very seasoned.  He likes souvlaki in little bits, and barely warm. 

I don't have many more suggestions, but if i come up with some that work i'll be sure to post again!!!  Good luck, and let me know if you find something that works too... I need help in this area too! 

Oh, and I don't force him to eat something if he doesn't want to, it's hard knowing he's hungry but it is his choice.  Get rid of all your snacks so you aren't tempted to gve him sweet treats becuase he'll eat them.  If he wants a "treat" try making homemade muffins like carrot.. or zucchini bread or banana bread.  You could even melt some chocolate in half of the batter and swirl the two together and maybe he would think it looks fun and the chocolate may entice him to at least give it a try... i'd try that with the zucchini bread at least to get some veg in him...

[Texomamama]

My daughter has a very small appetite and I have stopped worrying about it b/c I know she can't starve herself even though she hovers at the bottom (or below) of the growth charts.  You mention in your post that hardly any of the toddlers you know have eating difficulties.....funny b/c it seems every other post on here centers on exactly that topic, so first off, you are not alone.

I just tried something in the last week at my babysitter's suggestion, so I thought I would pass it along.  I use a melonballer to serve cantaloupe and watermelon and she loves it (of course, she has always eaten fruits and veggies, so we might have bit of an advantage there).  Anyway, it is my first attempt at serving food in "shapes".  I bet it would work for certain veggies and other foods as well.  Just an idea.

[gabriels mum]

Hi there

Not been on this forum for ages, but DS2 (14 months) is just starting to become quite fussy (although we've not ever conquered the veggie thing on there own yet?!). Just had to reply to your post, as DS1 who is nearly 4 also eats NO veggies, and only banana and apple (under duress!), so you really are not alone!

DS1 has such a "phobia" of veggies, that until very recently would not even entertain the idea of trying a tiny bite of a vegetable.  I say recently, as he now earns "reward" stars for trying new things, and it is having a better effect than anything we have ever tried before.  However, he still gags on even the tiniest taster of a vegetable, so I feel terrible even asking him to try!  He has always been a very fussy eater even from day 1, and there were many times I literally thought he would die if he did not eat better!

HOWEVER, at nearly 4 he is a happy and healthy little boy would seems to be developing/growing just fine!  I now think the human body is very clever at adapting, and I am a little less worried than I used to be!

For your own peace of mind, perhaps you could give a viamin suppliment to him (there are several flavoured liquid ones on the market for toddlers).  Also, have you tired the drinking fruit pouches?  If your LO likes the drinking yogurts, the fruit versions may be a hit too?!

Another thought - does your LO have daycare with other children??? i think the peer pressure thing is very important to them, and from what nursery say, DS1 has always eaten far better there than at home! (although still no veggies!!)

Good Luck - I know exactly how you feel!

[Mamanx2]

You are definitely not alone! I have used two other tricks. I put veggie or fruit puree into almost everything! I found a great book called The Sneaky Chef by Missy Chase Lapine. Jessica Seinfeld (yes Jerry's wife) also has a similar book out. Our favourite is pureed cauliflower in a cheese sauce for macaroni. I also used a sticker incentive plan. Every time he ate a fruit or veggie he got a little sticker. He loved it and it helped me to track too. Good luck:)