DS hates green food

[teilvnav]

He won't eat anything green, and will pick it off the fork and throw it away if you offer it. Obviously, this is usually a veggie issue. He will eat cauliflower, corn, carrots, and cucumber with the peel off (but not with the peel on!), but rejects any green stuff. I can hide it and he will eat it happily, so I know it isn't an issue of the taste. For example, we just had pasta for lunch. I hid a piece of green pepper behind a noodle, made sure there was lots of the sauce, and he ate it making his "mmm" sound. I can puree brocolli and use it in muffins, and he is fine. Last night we had quesadillas with black beans and shredded zucchini inside, and he munched it down.

Basically, I don't mind sneaking it in and I am not above hiding it right inside the food ala "The Sneaky Chef", but it is annoying. Can anyone tell me if this is just a phase, and if I am handling it ok? I still offer the food but don't make a big deal when he rejects it, although I do try to get a bit of it inside him. He has always been a good eater and had a wide palatte, so I am finding this a bit odd. Maybe it is a toddler thing, though?

[anna*]

What about green fruits, will he eat grapes, kiwi, apple? Peas? I'd try to get him onto those, and then make sure to give him something green every day. My brother went through a LONG phase of not eating anything green (including fruits but even sweeties/jelly) so I know it can be a long lasting and entrenched phase if you don't deal with it.

Although, my brother was an odd kid. He went through other phases of only eating a particular colour. Yellow (popcorn, corn, eggs, cheese). Orange (oranges, carrots, pumpkin). Our poor mum.

[teilvnav]

He will eat green grapes, but he LOVES grapes so that doesn't surprise me. No to kiwi, no to peas, and only yes to apple if the skin has been removed. Hand to God, I offered him a whole pear this morning and he only ate the side that was yellow! We don't offer him sweets yet, but I could try some green jello...

[anna*]

Oh no, I wasn't suggest offering sweeties! I guess at this age I wouldn't worry tooooo much about it. Just keep offering the green, even if he doesn't eat it I think it's important (for all kids) that they get used to seeing fresh, green things on their plates. Stan used to love frozen peas as a snack.

[teilvnav]

Oh no, I wasn't suggest offering sweeties!

Ha ha, don't worry... I was more musing to myself about that part; I have no idea if he would eat green candy, because we have never offered!

I am going to keep offering it, and hiding it when I can as well. It is hard to get good fresh food here in the winter, and I know that he will get bored eating only half of what IS available. I would, anyway! Good to know I am not off base, thanks Anna!

[anna*]

I' been thinking about it more and cucumber was a 'gateway' green veg for us. Then 'green soup' which he somehow was persuaded to taste some of mine (zuccini parmesan) at a restaurant and finished my whole bowl. Also, those frozen cubes of chopped spinach? You can stir them through everything to up the green veg content. No it doesn't address the 'won't eat green' issue BUT if he becomes acclimated to the taste, when he DOES finally taste brassicas, he won't find them so bitter. (they are an acquired taste)

[Chicane]

Hey teilvnav

Well, my son loves green things! but hates orange things! No carrot, pumpkin or sweet potato. I hide these things too in muffins, bolognese sauce etc. But he loves mandarins and will eat whole segments but wont eat pear or apple unless grated into yoghurt. I mean really, how do they know at this age what the difference is between green and orange? Its so weird! He also wouldn't eat cheese unless hidden but a few days ago i just offered him some anyway and he wolfed it down, so yep, I think it all just happens in phases. By the way, wish I was eating at your house - quesadillas with black beans and zucchini? O my goodness, I am salivating!

[teilvnav]

Mmm, Anna, that soup sounds GOOD.

Yeah, Chicane, as if they know the difference between colours already? Never mind which ones they 'prefer'. He amazes me everyday, even when it is frustrating. I just keep offering, and he just keeps refusing... oh well. I always hide it in his food anyway, so even if he has refused the beans that go with his dinner he has eatena  fair share of kale blended right in to his pasta sauce. I hope that someday it evens out.

(By the way, the quesadillas are super easy: fry a chopped onion with some garlic, toss in a good amount of shredded and squeezed zucchini, and add a can of rinsed black beans. That is your filling, so make the quesadillas with cheese as normal. Yum!)