Have anyone given their kids something like Pediasure?

[~inbalance~]

I have two very picky eaters, but the 3yo in particular can be really frustrating.  He'll take a multivitamin, but eats very little of anything else.  Every morning I make a power smoothie with a variety of good things and supplements, which DS2 will drink almost every day (he is slightly less picky at his age as well so I don't worry as much).  But lately DS1 won't even drink the smoothie.  Recently I tried buying a chocolate flavoured vegan smoothie type mix, which he didn't like at all.  Just now I noticed a commercial for Pediasure, which of course I have heard of but it never occurred to me to give it to my kids.  So what do you think, is that stuff crap?  Or is a good supplement for the picky eater?  (like it advertises)  I swear I could have been the mom and DS1 could have been the kid in that commercial. 

[Mom to M&M]

Personally hun (and you know I have a picky eater too), I really think that stuff is carp. According to both my Ped and my holistic practitioner, it does serve a limited purpose for those who really need it but that's a small percentage of the population and more for kids who CAN'T eat, not picky eaters. Lots of fake stuff in there TBH.

What if you try a new flavor of smoothie? Loaded with coconut milk, maybe some banana and avocado and some carob or cocoa powder? You can sweeten with a bit of honey or Stevia. If that works you can slowly start adding more things to it?

Does he eat pasta or pizza? My DS loves both and I make them at home and add nutritional yeast to both (the pasta gets it sprinkled on and mixed in, for the pizza it gets added to the sauce).

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Yeah, idk about pediasure, never really looked into it at all.  That said, I still add formula to Spencer's soy milk every morning to get some nutrients in her.  I think she is eating enough variety now I can back it off, but I have most of a can left so I might as well use it!  Masyn is not big into eating breakfast, and before school it is very important to get her to eat, so I am thinking of making smoothies for her. 

Karen, I never thought to add the nutritional yeast to pizza sauce! Though I have done sneaky things like blend a whole avocado in the sauce (and no one noticed!) for extra fats. 

What types of food does he eat that you could add extra stuff too? (I've put flax oil in applesauce, veg in pasta sauce)

[~inbalance~]

That's why I was asking, I wasn't sure what was in that stuff!

Pizza - NO, pasta - NO.    NOTHING with any kind of sauce or cheese on it. 

Will keep looking for something.

[Mom to M&M]

I'd keep trying healthy homemade smoothies. I'd definitely start out simple and once you find a flavor combination that he likes (I personally love the coconut milk, PB, avocado and banana combo) start adding more supplements or stuff to it.

Is he still eating eggs? Will he eat nuts? Roasted chickpeas? Meatballs?

[~Sara~]

I've been wondering about this, too, Em.  Thanks for being proactive and posting it for me

If nothing else, at least he's getting a multi-vitamin, right?  I have to keep telling myself this...

Karen, with regards to the smoothies, what's your "recipe" for that?  It sounds delicious and think Aaron would like those.  I've never made a homemade smoothie before so am just a bit clueless

[~inbalance~]

Eggs sometimes.  Nuts sometimes.  Chickpeas haven't tried in awhile.  Meatballs sometimes.    It's really hit or miss with him.

It sound easier in theory than in practice to try all these new things, both from a $ point of view (having to buy different things to try) and from a time point of view (we are in a rush to get to school in the mornings).  I pre-make most of the smoothie the night before so it's ready to pop in the blender, and I only do one big one and share it for all of us.  That's why I was hoping he'd like the chocolate shake one I bought, but no luck!

Will keep looking!  I think maybe I'll ask him what kind he wants and go from there.

[Mom to M&M]

I totally get both the time and $$ constraints. When I find something DS likes that is healthy (like the meatballs I make with lots of chopped veggies and flax meal or the pancakes I make with soaked oatmeal and coconut milk) I make large batches to freeze so I can easily just heat them up as needed. I make smoothies at night too and keep 1-2 days worth in the blender in the fridge (so I can just reshake or re-blend and pour into a cup as needed).

Sara, no real recipe. Maybe try one can of coconut milk (the full fat kind!), one cup of water, one avocado, one banana, 1 tbsp nut butter and 1 tbsp flax oil and go from there? You can also add 1 T cocoa or carob powder and 1 tbsp honey? That should make enough to last at least 3-4 days I'd think!

[~inbalance~]

Thanks Karen

[Canwi]

Just to throw out a different perspective, I would only use Pediasure as a bridge to buy you some time to work on the underlying issues with regards to pickiness.  I'll be honest, I don't have a lot of time to make extra stuff.  And I don't have picky kids.  But I'll tell you if I did, I'd be using things like Pediasure to keep my mind at ease while I worked on the issues.

As I mentioned I don't have picky kids.  But when my boys are having a phase due to illness, I'll up the amount of juice (100% not from concentrate or Kool-Aid type) they get in their cups and cut back on the water.  I usually make it 25% juice to 75% water but in times of illness, it can even end up being straight juice.

I know that being all natural is the ultimate aim of us all.  But let's be honest, it's not always realistic due to a multitude of reasons, with money and time being the top 2 that spring to mind.  There is a time and a place for supplement drinks for all ages.  The trick is to know when is the correct time.

[~*Nicole*~]

What types of things WILL your LO eat and drink? What does a typical day look like? Or a particularly bad day?

DD is going through a picky-ish phase. She isn't taking in a ton of calories, but I was looking into it and she is taking in about what is right for her age and activity level so I guess she is getting what she needs. But she is avoiding vegetables like the plague at the moment. She used to LOVE them so I try to offer but they aren't going down well (if at all) at the moment. And dinners are almost always left on the plate these days....but she eats enough through the day that I am not concerned about her intake. Mostly just the lacking areas.

I wonder if they make a more "natural" version of pediasure. Like if some more health conscious company makes something like it?

[Mom to M&M]

Deb - the (main) reason that I am so against Pediasure is because I've seen too many kids start having it in limited amounts but LOVE it (who wouldn't - lots of sugar and all in there) and then start eating even less and insisting on/holding out for the Pediasure. So unless there is a FTT type of issue going on it just isn't worth it to me. But YMMV of course.

Nicole, I've never seen or heard of a more natural version, hence why I recommend and use the smoothie route myself.

[anna*]

Sorry to sidetrack but Karen would you share your oatmeal/coconut milk pancake recipe?

[~inbalance~]

I don't think there are any serious underlying issues, I think he is just picky and 3.    Pickiness started around 2.5yrs, up until then he didn't eat much in terms of quantity but did eat more variety (which is how DS2 is now).  I don't stress overly about his pickiness and we keep offering lots of things.  I don't cater to him but be sure to include things I know he likes.  He is very much in the "I don't like anything" stage.  I do keep an eye out since he is very small, but he is not small because he doesn't eat, rather he is small because that is how he is.  Still, I like to know he is getting good all around nutrition.  Phases come and go, he is in more of a picky one atm.    Luckily he does eat vegetables decently enough.  Protein is probably the hardest thing to get into him.

Anyways, my original question has been answered and I don't mean to start any debates!  All I really wanted to know is if the stuff was considered 'healthy', and the general consensus is no, so I'm not interested in buying it and will just keep trying other options. 

[~Sara~]

Em, as far as protein goes, does he like yogurt or any other dairy stuff (can't remember if he's off of cow's milk or not...)?  Aaron likes greek yogurt, which has a LOT of protein in it.