Hello ladies,
DS was never a picky eater and then seemed to evolve into one over the past few months, which I know is normal for his age. He has an issue with texture (ie he'll pick up fruits and veggies off of his tray but never put them in his mouth). However, over the past few days it has gotten much worse. Breakfast has been okay - he'll eat a fruit puree and some french toast and scrambled egg (but not too much). Lunch he'll eat yogurt, but won't touch any finger foods - even ones that he has eaten before. He won't touch anything on his tray at snack time (unless they are Cheerios). And dinner. Dinner has turned into a complete disaster. There is one veggie puree that he will eat at this point, which I give him every night. He has been eating that, but where he used to eat things like meatball and chicken nuggets in addition to it, he won't. He just whines and yells and won't touch these things. Chicken nuggets especially have always been an absolute favorite. Here is what I think he is doing -- he is waiting for a stick of cheese. He LOVES cheese and I've always given it to him at the end of dinner, after he's eaten his puree and chicken etc. Last night, he refused anything I put on his tray - I left it there for awhile - and only started eating once I gave him the cheese.
So, I've been outsmarted by a 13 month old.
What to do? Will this pass? Do I give him the cheese or am I teaching him that he doesn't have to eat the other things by giving the cheese when he won't eat everything else? Part of me feels like he is still too little for me to be doing that, but I am also very afraid of bad eating habits forming. I am on the picky toddler board -- however, I am not sure if this specific situation is just about him being picky or about him being a stubborn toddler.
He is also teething molars, but never refused finger foods while teething the first two molars, so I'm not sure if that is playing into it.
I put too much pressure on myself about getting him to eat a variety of things so part of this is probably me, but I am really frustrated.
Thanks for listening!