12 .5 mth old only eats jarred OR dry food. Need help!

[meredith1851]

I posted this a while back and am still in the same place. My 12.5 mth old seems to have a texture aversion. He will still only eat the jarred food and fruit OR toast, cheese or the puff snacks. He will not eat fresh diced or sliced (in any shape) fruit or veggies or chicken/beef.  I am getting very frustrated as I would imagaine he should no being on jarred foods much longer.  Example: He will eat jarred chicken and veggies but if I make it homemade or try to give little pieces of chicken he automatically spits it out or just gives it a dirty look and tosses it.  Same with fruit and veggies and beef. I am worried he wont get over this issue. I try every day and nothing works.  He loves his toast and cheese or the yogurt puffs or crackers, but everything else has to be jarred pureed foods....HELP!

[LizzieN]

Keep breathing sweetie, he is eating and that is good
So I'm wondering if you have tried pureeing canned fruit yourself?  You can control how much juice (and thus sugar) is in there a little easier.  If you froze it into icy poles would he try things that way?  You can freeze yoghurt and fruits into icy poles and they are a great way to make food more fun
One other idea, sounds sneaky but could you cook and puree up his chicken or beef and veggies and PUT it into the baby jars?
I would honestly just go with what he is eating and then put pieces of what you are eating on his tray too, so a few little pieces of chicken, some veggie sticks and some cheese sticks etc.  Don't even ask him to try, just make a few so that you don't feel upset about the waste if he doesn't touch them....at every meal keep offering, sometimes it takes them FOREVER to try them, but take comfort one day he will
At the end of the day, jarred food is probably not what you WANT to be using but it is good food, he is getting good nutrients from it, so don't allow this to worry you too much...it's ok, he will get there!

Years later I am sure that my step daughter had texture aversions too and she was very difficult to feed as a little one, new foods were always a struggle....but now she is at least willing to try things, she knows we wont force her if she doesn't like something, she is getting there and your LO will too xx

[firsttimemummy]

Would he eat homemade food served in a jar (ie sneak the homemade stuff into the jar that he usually eats from, if that is how you do it - my friend's LO wouldn't eat yoghurts when I tried to feed her as I had taken the lid right off ).

Could you add mashed banana etc to the toast, even just a thin layer to begin with?

I assume you have pureed the food you make? Some days O prefers completely pureed food (I don't see this as a problem as most days just now we ALL are having pureed veggies - ie soup!!).

As Lizzie said he is getting a good variety through the jars.  Try to put some other food on his high chair and over time he may be interested in it and eat it (with no pressure on him as he is still getting his normal food too).

[Hedgehog17]

I have similar problems with my DS 

What seemed to work best for him was having him eat with other LOs his age (at first at nursery, now with the childminder). DH reckons the 'peer pressure' helps to encourage him to eat a better variety!

With DS the main issue I think has been his rapid teething - he's got all his teeth but 1 now, so I think he just hasn't wanted to eat or chew when his mouth has been sore, much less try anything new 

Could teething be a factor in your DS's case?

You are doing the right thing by keeping on trying, but I know how awful it feels to have all your carefully prepared food flung straight to the floor, again and again  *Hugs*

Can anybody else try feeding him? Sometimes they will take different food from a different person 

The other thing that works is to feed DS from my plate (so we often have the same lunch) to get him to eat fish and meat.

Don't worry, even now if all else fails I frequently have to give DS a pouch of stage 1 puree just to make sure he's eaten something!

Hope some of this helps, and you are not alone *Hugs*

[firsttimemummy]

Don't worry, even now if all else fails I frequently have to give DS a pouch of stage 1 puree just to make sure he's eaten something!

M still loves the Stage 1 brocolli, pear and peas Ella's Kitchen sachet (and tasting any jars O has!!)

[meredith1851]

Thank you all for responding! I will try all the suggestions and see how it goes. Seems like anything color or shape wise that isn't what he is used to gets the dirty look and the closed mouth before he even tries it which leaves me to only his usual baby food jars. I do by the organic food and fruits along with some of the apple puffs which he likes.

[firsttimemummy]

Let us know how you get on

[meredith1851]

I'm back with an update and would love to hear thoughts!

So, have not made a huge amount of progress, but some....

If I pretend to sit on the floor and nibble on say chicken nugget and a potatoe puff like it is my food, he is VERY curious and grabs it off my plate to try and then walks around the room playing etc...keeps coming back for it.  Then if I put him in his highchair and place a few pieces on his tray, he sometimes continues to eat a bite or two but then goes back to refusing it and giving it a dirty look, squeezing it and throwing it like he has never seen it before.  I hate to have him try new things by walking around in my family room, but it seems to work a bit.

Does anyone have thoughts on this?  I have been trying sliced/diced apple every day in every size, shape and form but he gets the heebie geebies when he touches it and has a bit of a gag refelx if I try to put a piece in his mouth.  He has NO problem eating apple sauce though......

[mjohnson33]

My DS is the same age as you and up until about a week ago did so good on most foods I gave him.  All of the sudden he just throws everything on the floor unless its baby food or something I am eating.  I know he is trying to cut a tooth but I cant imagine its that bad.  He will eat crunchy food and things so I wouldnt think its his teething bothering him.  But I am just trying to make sure he still has a healthy balance and hope he will snap out of it soon. 

[firsttimemummy]

Sounds like he either *could* have picked up on your frustrations at the highchair, or he just likes to eat when not focusing on it (I know it sounds daft, but could you put the tv on or something while he eats so he is busy watching that and not focusing on the food?).  Sounds like you are doing the right thing.  Also, when you are eating sit him in his highchair to watch you, and if he seems interested then pass things from your plate to let him eat them.

[mjohnson33]

It seems like my son does it more when he doesnt like something....but I dont want to get in the habit of offering something else if he doesnt like the particular thing he is supposed to eat....is it safe to assume he would eat if he was really hungry?

[meredith1851]

Yes, my DS eats better when walking around or watching tv....ugh!

[mjohnson33]

meredith, mine as well...but I dont want to start bad habits there either.  UGH, right with ya.  ;-)

[firsttimemummy]

It can take about 15 tries to get used to a new taste - we tend to try O with something and if he doesn't eat it we give him something else, but every few spoonfuls add in the new taste!! After a few spoonfuls he gets used to it and will eat it usually   If it is a texture thing (M had this with melon) you can puree it or something to get him used to the taste (even freeze it, mixed with water as an ice lolly) then try it in the normal texture.

I don't think he will necessarily eat something just because he is hungry if he REALLY doesn't like it (think of the worst food and see if you would eat it!) - as long as he eats some variety not liking something isn't too bad.  Remember soup and smoothies get lots of goodness in!

 I would offer something he doesn't like alongside something he does, so he doesn't go hungry.  Maybe eating the tasty thing means he will pick up the other food and eat it

[mjohnson33]

I normally put one thing at a time on his tray, should I do more than one food??  Maybe that would help?

[firsttimemummy]

A lot of different small things means they can pick and choose what they want - and then can ask for more if they are still hungry, rather than being daunted by too much food on their plate.  Most adults have a few different food items on their plates so kids must want that too

[mjohnson33]

Ok, maybe that is the problem.  LOL I will try that tonight.

[samIam]

My 14mo old DS just started eating non-pureed foods a few weeks ago. He also seemed to have a texture aversion. A couple of foods seemed to help him breakthrough. He was a little anemic at his last check-up, so I decided to try to give him spinach. I steamed it until it was very soft, then I folded each leaf into a little ball. He loved it right away! We received some pears for Christmas, so I decided to try that, too. The pear was very ripe and soft, so he could easily mash it in his mouth. He also loved this right away. I couldn't feed it fast enough to him. Over the past few weeks, I've been able to introduce green beans, carrots, and zucchini, all steamed or cooked until soft. But spinach still seems to be his favorite.

He feeds himself, but I don't put the food in front of him because he just plays with it. I offer one piece to him and he'll take it from my hand and put it right into his mouth. I'm hoping he'll get over this, but for now, I'm just happy he's feeding himself some "real" food.

However, my DS still doesn't like beef or chicken. He does like salmon, since it easily flakes in his mouth. I do still feed him jarred meals, but I now add about 2oz of cooked quinoa to them to make them a little more filling and nutritious.

[meredith1851]

Still having a VERY tough time. He will do the diced up chicken nugget and tater tots but he utterly refuses fruit and veggies if they aren't pureed. It seems like the colors make him not interested either. If it does not look like toast or cheese then forget it!

[mjohnson33]

My DS is so wierd....last night I had to feed him pureed veggies(tried regular peas first and he just squashed them in his hands) but then ate diced chicken, frozen diced pears and cold diced peaches and sweet potato fries...normally he throws all them on the floor!! 

[firsttimemummy]

he utterly refuses fruit and veggies if they aren't pureed

could you try mashing them as an in-between stage?

ast night I had to feed him pureed veggies(tried regular peas first and he just squashed them in his hands) but then ate diced chicken, frozen diced pears and cold diced peaches and sweet potato fries...normally he throws all them on the floor!!

I find sometimes depending on teething that my boys will/would eat one texture one day and refuse it the next!  It can take 15 tries to like something so maybe that is part of it.  Throwing food on the floor is exploring it so maybe he is now used to the textures etc and confident to try eating it?

[meredith1851]

HI all, Ia m back. DS is now almosnt 15 mths and not making much progress with his food.  He still will only eat a tiny bit of chicken nugget or baked fish stick but other than that will not touch pasta, beef etc unless it is stage 2 or 3 baby food jars.  Same thing with fruits and veggies. He will only eat them in jars unless it is the dehydrated apple bits.  He only eats the following non-jarred foods:

American Cheese slice
Yogurt melts
Mum Mums
Crackers
French toast with cinnamon only
Waffle with cinnamon only
Breakfast bars like nutrigrain bars
Cherrios
Wheat Toast with butter or American cheese but wont eat it if I try jelly or cream cheese
Yogurt
Oameal
Apple Sauce
banana - but only will eat it as I do and if I put it in his mouth to bite a piece off..wont touch it
Chicken Nuggets (takes 1-2 bites and then not interested..)
Fish Stick

Should I be worried?

[Lemonthyme]

You know what, 1-2 bites of a chicken nugget is probably all the protein he needs from that meal.  It's not bad.  If you're worried about feeding processed foods, I have some mini meatloaf and chicken nugget recipes on my blog if you're interested?

[meredith1851]

Would love to check out your blog. Was more worried that there might be something wrong with him as he hates to touch soft foods like pasta.

[We Three]

 There could be some sensory stuff happening.  Keep offerring, just keep offering with ZERO presuure.  Not even the kind where Mom pretends to eat it and comment how yummy it is!     Just put it on his tray. He will never eat what he won't touch, so even if all he does is play with it...that is a step.
 Did you ever use a baby-safe feeder when he was smaller?  Might be worth a shot now...it has a cool handle, and I wonder what he might do with a nice piece of watermelon in there??  What if you put a slice of fruit in a babysafe feeder, then let him see you pur some pureed fruit (that he likes) into a dish...then dip the feeder into the puree and see if he'll put it in his mouth?

 With the crackers...see if he will dip them into a dish of applesauce. 2 accepted foods, but in a new way. He might just lick it off, but that would be great progress!

 Also...try introducing more texture through playing...dry rice in a big tray, mixed with pasta shells and some colorful beans? Mix and pour and scoop up?

 And also...when I look at your list I try to see how you can expand upon that with things that are similar to his accepted foods. So try to think...he likes toast....so try french toast...and after you cook it, pop it in the toaster so it has the texture he likes...might work!  Also, a whole grain waffle is similar to toast too!
  Mix some Wheat Chex in with his cheerios...or some other really healthy dry cereal. He will for sure eat around it, but the first step is to see it, and accept that it is there. Then touch it and be ok with that.  One day maybe give a new food a kiss! Work up to it!
  When a LO eats just a few things, be sure those things are the BEST of those items. Get the best bread you can find...lots of fiber and whole grains, etc.  The girls I used to nanny once went thru a pasta stage...so we just got the very best organic/whole wheat/flax pasta we could find!  

[mjohnson33]

My DS is alot better now that I/we eat with him almost every meal.  NOw he doesnt even want the pureed food!! I am still buying it in case he wont eat his veggies but he puts his hands over his mouth and really throws a fit when I try to feed it to him.  LOL

[meredith1851]

These are great ideas. Thank you! I will give them a try.  I should mention he does nutrigrain bars, french toast with cinnamon sugar only and waffles as well but wont dip in syrup....really seems he has an issue with anything soft or gooey. Developmentally he is right on track and doing great but food is his only issue. I made pasta elbows one day and let him play and squeeze them.  He made a mess sitting on the floor with them but refused to put any in his mouth.  Should I mention this to his Doc? Should I see someone about sensory issues for an evaluation or I am I making a bigger deal of this?

[We Three]

It can't hurt to mention it, but I think they might tell you to take a wait and see approach for now. When I say "sensory stuff", I don't mean to imply anything alarming...just perhaps that he simply doesn't like wet/mushy things! My dd couldn't tolerate having dirty hands...which could be considered a "sensory issue" in itself...but we see it as one of her quirks!    Sensory stuff can run from tiny issues to big ones...food ones are so common.  My dd has outgrown most of hers...(she has major issues with certain sounds and a little one, but all are gone now).

 Great that he touched the macaroni!  This might sound like a stupid question, but did he know it was food? LOL....did you eat a piece or two to show him it was edible?

 His list of stuff really isn't too bad IMO.  Have you tried grilled cheese by the way? Since he likes toast and cheese? I would just keep offering, keep presenting with no pressure.  I might also try something like adding "real" food to his jarred food. Like, I might mash up (just a few) peas and add them to his jarred peas, or cook up some carrots, mash them, and add them in small amounts to his jarred carrots.

 Has there been a food that he refused for a while, but then accepted?

[meredith1851]

Thanks again for all your help! Of course I got myself all upset looking on the internet at sensory disorders
I did show him the pasta was edible but he just squeezes it and gives it a dirty look...LOL. Strangely enough, he will eat the stage 3 pasta jars though.  Oh and yes, he LOVES grilled cheese but when I slipped in a slice of chicken breast, he wouldn't touch it.  He does eat chicken out of a stage 3 jar though.  He loves his jarred pureed fruits and veggies and no matter how I present it, he wont eat fruits or veggies any other way...so very frustrating!

[meredith1851]

I just cannot get over how he will eat pureed fruits and veggies as well as chicken and meat but if I put an actual piece of a fruit or veggie or meat on his tray, he gives it a dirty look and flings it off his plate.  Same thing with pasta.  He seems totally fine with all dry snacks and will do french toast or waffles but never fruit spread or syrup.  Do I just keep putting them on his tray and wasting all that food?  I noticed that if his dry food gets wet food on it he quickly rejects it.

[Lemonthyme]

I would say my son isn't fussy but he's going through a veggie refusal stage at the moment.  He will often only have one or two pieces and then they all go on the floor.  I think the route though to a permanently fussy child is to stop offering.  So, IMO, continue to offer, model the good behaviours yourself by eating the same food with them and you might find he tries it.  Let's face it, vegetables are pretty cheap, just buy seasonal stuff and you can always start involving him in meal choices as he gets older (i.e. give him choices of two things where both would be acceptable like, "do you want peas or do you want broccoli?")

In the meantime, why not sneak in some vegetables into other foods as an "insurance policy" so you're not that bothered if he eats the separate vegetables or not?  (Easing the pressure on you sometimes helps I hear.)

Here are some ideas for "hidden fruit and veggies":  http://mamacook.blogspot.com/2012/02/coping-with-fussy-babies-and-toddlers.html

[*Kara*]

Hi hun...

DD was much the same right around 12-13 months... the best advice I got about getting her to move away from jarred food - stop offering it.  Babies do know what they need and are fantastic self-regulators too.

Offer a variety and let him figure it out.  He may have a couple of days that he doesn't eat well, but he will catch on that the jars are gone very quickly.

Once I stopped jars, DD was a new kid after about a week!

[meredith1851]

I like your approach about getting rid of the jars, but what if he still refuses fruits and veggies after several days? I worry about him not getting the right nutrition. Oh and I only give him the organic fruit and veggies in a jar :-)

[Lemonthyme]

Well what about giving your own mashed foods?  What if he does refuse? 

Ok, maybe prepare a few food choices, something mashed and a couple of finger vegetables, see how he does.  Then offer some chopped up fruit, just take it away if he's not interested and ditto with some pudding, e.g. a yoghurt.  Take the pressure off, say to yourself it doesn't matter but also eat with him.  If you're really worried you could do as I do and always introduce new foods / textures etc at lunchtime and chose something 'safe' for tea?  That way, if your child's sleep is really affected by food or lack of (mine seems to be) then at least you have your teatime insurance policy! 

I wouldn't worry too much if he doesn't get his 5 a day as unprocessed fruit and veg, you can sneak in so much into stews, sauces etc.  Remember not everything he eats has to be solid finger foods.  We eat soft spoonable foods as adults sometimes and no-one thinks that's weird.

Maybe if you want to get away from the 'idea' of jars, it would be a good idea if you do still serve them to keep the jars out of sight.  I've heard some parents putting home made food into jars because their kids won't accept anything else which is a state I'd hate to get to.

[~Carly~]

Hi   I just have a moment, so I have not read through all the responses...  this might have already been suggested. 

When DS was small, I made all his baby food, so I was able to begin making it thicker/chunkier until he was finally eating regular table food.  Have you tried this, or adding bits of solid food to the purees? 

[*Kara*]

I like your approach about getting rid of the jars, but what if he still refuses fruits and veggies after several days? I worry about him not getting the right nutrition. Oh and I only give him the organic fruit and veggies in a jar :-)

I wouldn't worry honestly.  He may jump on the bandwagon the first day... he won't starve himself and may just need a push to try something new... DD was reluctant to try new things but when given the opportunity - she really took to it like a duck to water!

[We Three]

I agree...if he doesn't eat much for a few days, it won't harm him in the grand scheme of things.  If he were ill, he might not eat well for a few days, but they always bounce back. I'm interested to see if he eventually accepts things if the jars are taken out of the equation. 

[meredith1851]

I most often pour the jars into a bowl so not sure that is the issue. If I try and mash /make my own food though, he wont eat it. I have been getting him to eat banana but only if I hold it for him and let him bite it off. If I take a chunk and put it on his tray, he wont touch it or tosses it. I think he really has a texture issue. SO FRUSTRATED! 

[Lemonthyme]

Will he eat your food if it's the same texture as the jars?

[meredith1851]

Nope 

[*Kara*]

That makes me think that he just wants the bland taste of jarred food.  I really think you just have to stop offering it so that he will give real food a try hun.

[Lemonthyme]

Yep.  Also cheese.  Maybe use some sweeter vegetables in there too.  One thing I've noticed when looking at jars (I sometimes think I *must* be able to get some inspiration from looking at a jar!)  Anyway, generally I've found they're very low in meat and higher in vegetables like carrots and sweet potato. 

Is it even worth making something with the same ingredients to try if he'd take it?

Or have you tried putting your food in a jar?  Even if he doesn't directly see you taking it out of the jar kids are somehow aware of these things!