What Foods (Picky Eater Help)

[Mom to M&M]

DS was a great eater until about a year. Been getting pickier and pickier  and even worse now as he's getting molars (his top left one is a white bud on the gum now). All he really wants to eat is fruit (he loves strawberries, grapes, blueberries, apples and bananas), yogurt, bread, and pasta basically. Protein is really hard (he's refusing scrambled eggs too now), as are veg. He used to love sweet potato fries but has been refusing those totally lately too. So today he ate strawberries and a small piece of homemade challah french toast for breakfast, a tiny bit of applesauce and few bites of veggie burger for lunch, apple slices for snack and two small roasted potato wedges and a piece of raisin toast with butter for dinner (he refused the chicken I made as well as the sweet potato fries and broccoli).

Tomorrow night I'm making a veggie lasagna which he usually loves - hopefully he eats it. Worried with his Vit (particularly Vit A, he gets enough C from all his fruit) intake, as well as protein and iron. Based on what I posted that he'll eat, any thoughts on related/jump off meals that might work at this time? He is boycotting a fork completely (he won't use one anymore nor let me feed him with one) and won't let me feed him at all unless it's yogurt or applesauce so everything has to be finger food. And he doesn't like the way certain foods feel on his fingers. TIA!

[Tweakster]

Chicken? Fish? Would he take a smoothie with spinach hidden in it?  I think it was you that gave me that tip!

Frankly I think what he's eating looks ok really.  Normal for a toddler.  They still grow out of their clothes!

Finn's the same with certain things, he'll poke them around his plate with his finger checking out how they feel.  He doesn't like anything on his hands these days.  He eats with a fork mainly but only on his own and he gets super frustrated with items that he can't fork.  It's a tough age I think.  They want to be so independent but are vaguely aware that they still must rely on us to sort things out for them.

[Mom to M&M]

Well I just got a REALLY good look in his mouth and it looks like, in addition to his top left molar (white bud on the gum) he's working on top canines/eye teeth. OUCH! Sadly medicating has always barely taken the edge off his teething - single homeopathic remedies (right now I'm alternating silcea and aconite) seem to actually help more than Motrin for him - whereas my DD was opposite.

Oh how I WISH with the smoothies! DD used to suck them down but DS will ONLY drink either milk (in a bottle) or water in a sippy or straw cup. By refusing meat I do mean chicken and fish also. Going to try fish fingers tomorrow night - I used to make my own fish stick/fingers and haven't in a while. About to try scrambled egg again for lunch (along with raisin toast and yogurt).

[Tweakster]

Poor M.  I think really you are doing all you can by offering and if anyone offers a great variety it is you Karen!  So really just try to be conscious of what foods you offer every day and what he's eating and try to make sure he's getting as much varied diet as he needs over the week and he'll be grand.  Once those teeth come in he'll probably hit a growth spurt and then eat you out of house and home.  There's no harm in offering a supplement if you are really concerned.  He doesn't have to take it forever.

Would he take juice in his cup?  You can get those fruit with hidden vegetables juices. 

If he's enjoying finger foods now then I think you are on the track with your fish fingers idea.  Make some up and freeze them.  Chicken fingers too. 

What about hard boiled eggs?  They are fun to play with!

[gogomama]

I have to say that I agree with Wendy. I am reading your food list and it looks pretty well rounded. TBH I don't think my son would eat half that variety    I definitely feel your pain though, we have been off spoon/fork for a about 3 months now with the occasional meal or so when DS decides he wants to use it Its hard to make EVERYTHING finger food. It looks like your DS got a few bites from the veggie burger, eggs from the french toast, and some potato. I think when they are teething the quantities go drastically down. As far as some suggestions, I mix veggie purees into the pasta as a sauce that DS seems to like. Will your DS eat sandwiches at all? Thats an easy way to get meat/veggies in. You can make a grilled cheese with turkey..If you are worried about vit. A you can give some mangoes, thats a pretty good source.You could also try something like zucchini bread or pumpkin bread. I think there was a lentil muffin too on the meal planning thread that he may like. HTH.  

[Mom to M&M]

Thanks guys! Maybe I'll try to recreate the potatoes tomorrow night (to serve with the fish fingers) but using sweet potatoes. They were just russet potatoes i'd cut into small chunks and tossed with olive oil, vegetable oil, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder and salt and pepper and then baked until crispy.

Sadly he has always refused sandwiches. He does do pizza. I can definitely try mangoes. Squash and pumpkin are a no go - DS has a delayed reaction to them resulting in hives and stomach pains.

About to try lunch - he hasn't eaten since breakfast 3.5 hours ago so hopefully he eats!

[Mom to M&M]

No lunch. Had maybe 1/3 of a yogurt and refused scrambled egg (spat out a bit and then outright refused) and raisin toast. Asleep now.

[Tweakster]

Aww poor mite.  I personally wouldn't eat either if my mouth was that sore.  What about fruit popsicles of some sort? What about dips - like would he eat the eggs in ketchup or something like that?

[Mom to M&M]

He hasn't gotten the concept of dipping down - he just smears stuff like that all around his tray/plate and then gets upset. He does do popsicles some times and I'll try again after his nap I guess and if not bring apple slices out with me later (I have to pick up DD at her bus stop 3:30 and take her to gymnastics and will let DS run around the nearby bookstore same time) - he never refuses apple slices. And then hope he eats the lasagna (in the oven now) at dinner tonight!