STILL will not eat veg - could really use some ideas.

[*Becky*]

So Henry still will not eat vegetables and I mean any vegetables. He has always been like this so it is not a phase. We get some into him by disguising them i.e. soup and hidden veg tomato sauce.
I am getting fed up with it tbh. I have tried to be relaxed and just offer them but even if I can get him to try them he just gags or spits them out - he really does not like veg!
I spoke to my HV about it back in December and she was very relaxed about it and just told me not to worry at all, that lots of lo's were very picky with veg and that he would be fine.
But I feel bad you know? In fact I feel guilty, like it must be something I have done wrong somewhere.
Apart from the lack of veg I would say his diet is pretty healthy and he will try most things. He is being generally more picky atm than usual but I think that probably is a phase, rather than the veg which is not.

I even bought some frozen vegetable dippers but he will not touch them even though the bits of veg are tiny.

It is beyond frustrating  - any ideas of how to move on from this.

thanks

[Lana]

{{{{HUGS}}}}

you havent done anything wrong!!  B really doesnt like very many veg either (although he has gotten better as he has gotten older) we just kept offering and let him decide, he does eat fruit though.  E will eat most veg no problem but really doesnt like fruit.  so I guess you just cant win

[*Becky*]

yes luckily fruit is better. He is still picky but he will eat strawberries, raspberries and banana no problem and we give smoothies too. Most days I am ok with it but sometimes it just gets to me and I just wish he would even eat one veg like peas or runner beans...

[brenda2]

do you put veg in the smoothies?  that's an easy one to do.

how about sweet potato fries?

dip always helps with both my kids get whatever food down (for us it's the meat/protein that's the problem, not the veg, but equally frustrating)

[fireredjewel]

mine won't eat fruit... but happily eats veges (disguised & pureed). don't stress. my sis the dietician says as long as the diet is balanced & not full of sugary cakes etc then its ok, they'll grow out of it.
jessica seinfeld has a book 'deceptively delicious', which is all about sneaking pureed veges into ordinary food - i haven't got it yet as we aren't desperate like that but apparently it's been good for others!

[rach321]

sweet potato fries are a hit here too! i usually grate any veggies up really fine and put them in a bolognase mix or into meatballs - ds1 is getting better with his veggies but still wont eat anything green, fruit or veg!

[Roseii]

Are raw veges any better? To be honest I prefer them raw! I'm thinking carrots and cucumber with some fun dip? Xx

[~Sara~]

*hugs* I totally get it!  DS will eat pasta sauce and some brocoli or carrots if they're in a casserole, softened, and mushed up with the sauce   Very frustrating.  I agree with pps' suggestions: the just keep offering, knowing you're doing what you can; I've thought about the "Deceptively Delicious" book, too.  Oh!  And the smoothies.

Keep your chin up, you're a wonderful mother!

[koe2moe]

it is frustrating.  we have the same problem.  i'm tired of thinking what to cook and pureeing sauce, etc.  When DS sees us eating a veg, he would ask to try it and then sadly shook his head while spitting it out and said... not yummy.  At what age do we learn to like veg??  you're not alone, becky..  

[Mom to M&M]

Nope, not alone at all. Course my DS also went off fresh fruit a few months ago (REALLY annoying since he used to be a fruit-a-holic). We do lots of Ella's kitchen or Plum Baby pouches - he loves the spinach/peas/pears and blueberry/pears/purple carrot. Sometimes I add spinach or kale or bok choy to his smoothies. I make homemade pizzas with lots chopped spinach, mushrooms and carrots in the sauce and sometimes he'll do sweet potato fries, though not as often as he used to. Once in a while he'll try a raw baby carrot too!

[*Becky*]

thanks - you have all made me feel better...
I will try sweet potato fries, good idea.
I have tried raw veg and dips but he just sucks all the dip off.
Karen - he LOVED the Ella's pouches when he was little, they were a big hit.

[babybarr]

Haven't read through everything Becky but can empathise!

My friend's LOs were super picky as they got older she would just encourage them to eat say one pea and then gradually increase it, they are still not the world's greatest eaters but certainly significantly better.  Do you think it's a texture issue?  I know O has big issues with some textures of foods (but then so do I )

[Mom to M&M]

Have you tried the pouches lately? DS really loves picking them up and squeezing them into his mouth himself.

The pizzas work the best here otherwise - and TONS of veggies there.

Plus I make fun sweet potato "fries" by slicing the potatoes about 1/2 inch thick, then using cookie cutters (I have letter ones, as well as moons/stars, etc) to make shapes and then spraying them with olive oil and then seasonings and baking. Yum.

[brenda2]

what about pureeing the veg and sticking it in the dip?  dd2 (poor protein eater) ate 2 bowls tonight of "dip" by sucking it off the veg, in the end she actually tipped the bowl and licked every last bit out.  but the "dip" was yogurt, sour cream, garlic, cucumber pureed and quite a bit of tofu (tzatziki plus soft tofu mashed up).  so yay, she ate some protein!  but it would work for veg too.  what kind of dip does he like?

[Sam-n-Max's Mommy]

Hi Becky, DS has become very picky when it comes to veggies.  He'll eat some purees, but even his old favorites are hit or miss.  I bought the Jessica Seinfeld book and I really like it.  I made sweet potato pancakes and they were awesome. (He usually will eat sweet potato puree, so I don't know why I made those, but I did. ).  I also made meatballs with butternut squash in them.  He ate a few bites last night, I'm not sure if he liked them or not.  He was VERY fussy at dinner time as he is cutting 2 molars, so I'm going to try the meatballs again today and will let you know how it goes!
My DS spits them out, but you could also try zucchini sticks.  I cut up zucchini and bread them like they are chicken tenders and bake them.  DS will put them in his mouth, but once he chews, he spits it out because of the texture inside (I think). We have texture issues over here.
I can sympathize with your frustration!! xx

[*Becky*]

yes I think a lot of it is texture - I always ask him to try the veg that is on his plate but jeez you would not think it was so painful to eat a pea. He puts it in his mouth and then lets it dribble out or waits until we are not looking and spits it out!

Dips wise - he loves humus

[brenda2]

have you tried adding pureed roasted red pepper to the hummus?  or purred carrots or butternut squash would also be good to add.

i have done potato pancakes that had potato, peas, carrots, eggs and chicken in them.  they were a hit with dd1 but not with dd2.

[Tweakster]

F is what I would describe as a good eater but even he has thinned out what he will actually eat.  He will almost always try something (I say almost because there are things he finds 'suspicious' and will only poke at them or prod them on his plate) but it often comes straight back out again 'no like it' he says.

TBH it is frustrating but it's one battle I can't really fight and win so I leave it.  I don't cook things that I can 'sneak' veg into, our meals are really simple.  But I do keep offering every meal.  We pretty much either offer him raw veg as a snack or as a side dish to what we are eating.  Dip sometimes works but he's picky on which dip he'll eat and most often he'll eat the dip on it's own.  Like tzatziki for example, instead of dipping he'll just pick it up in globs and eat it that way *rolls eyes*

Texture us a huge thing at this age I think.

Offering and modeling is all you can really do. 

[Shdef]

I made Scotty faces at that age. Sliced red pepper was the mouth, a mini corn the nose, two slices of cucumber the eyes, etc. That was the afternoon snack, nothing else. It would stand on the table and there a wee dip of his choice that he could buy himself and pay for himself. If he knows that THAT is the snack he'll be getting, he may be more likely to give in at some point.

If nothing works, then go overboard with the pureeing. you can create awesome sauces, I even make my pot roast gravy out of the cooking juice + pureed carrots, onions and mushrooms.

[babybarr]

instead of dipping he'll just pick it up in globs and eat it that way *rolls eyes*

Yep... we get that too

I think you just have to keep offering, well that's what we're doing anyway!

What about baked beans or chopped tinned tomatoes?

[Sam-n-Max's Mommy]

I added cauliflower to DS's eggs this morning and made him french toast with carrot puree mixed in (all from the Deliciously Deceptive book). Also added butternut squash to his meatballs.  I always cut up some fruit or veg on his tray though even if I've mixed it into a food that he usually eats. Just so he see it there and maybe picks it up and tries it.  Definitely a texture thing.

[brenda2]

Like tzatziki for example, instead of dipping he'll just pick it up in globs and eat it that way

i think this is ok - you can make tzatziki from plain yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice and garlic - pretty healthy, even if he only eats the dip and not the veg.  hummus also is very healthy and would ok to eat in globs.  now if he's eating ketchup in globs you may need to swap it out for some tomato puree instead.