Beyond Fed Up - 2 years 8months eating

[Mom to M&M]

He ended up having one teeny nibble of broccoli pancake and nothing else. An hour or so later I offered him a choice of a breakfast cookie or a banana. He choose the breakfast cookie and ate it and requested another, to which I said no and offered the banana again (which he refused). That was it for the night. Of course he inhaled his multigrain waffle this morning!

[Shiv52]

{{{hugs Karen}}}}

Stick with it.  He will get there x

[Mom to M&M]

Yup still plodding along. Still won't touch any of the items like fruit, veg, eggs, non-breaded chicken, etc. The only thing he did add back in were Cliff Z bars (kids nutrition bars) which he used to eat when he was around 1.75-2. Now he wants one every day but I'm only offering them 2-3 times a week at most really - as a snack or mini lunch. I make sure to put 1-2 fruit or veg on the plate at each meal but they are totally untouched still. At the grocery store he often wants to hold a grape or cherry tomato but that's the extent of it. The chickpeas are still on the outs!

edited to add: this morning I had put four blueberries on his plate along with his homemade whole grain french toast sticks (which I gave him less of than usual). He didn't eat them but saw me eating some with my breakfast and played with his for a bit and fed me some - without me asking. Course he didn't eat any but baby steps I guess!

[Erin M]

Baby steps are good!  And well done on having the self-control to let it happen, it's so hard!!

[Shiv52]

I know it probably doesn't feel like it but that is great progress xx

[~Sara~]

Just wanted to stop by and give ya a *hug*!!  We're still plodding along with you...no change yet for us really either, but I had a reassuring conversation with a friend last night who is a pediatrician AND whose DS was extremely picky from ~1yo to ~3yo.  He said that even if a child is picky, they will still eat enough to satify their metabolic needs.  Basically, that while they might be exerting their willful toddler selves, their bodies at some point will override that and they'll eat.  Kinda comforting.  I only brought it up to him because we were all talking about picky kids and he and his wife mentioned it first (about the issue resolving).

I think it's great that M is still interacting with the food, even if he doesn't eat it.

[Mom to M&M]

Thanks Erin, Shiv and Sara! He also ended up eating 5 pieces of roasted potato last night (he used to eat them but had stopped 4-6 months ago) so I was happy with that, even though he wouldn't touch the chicken on his fork or the broccoli.

[Katet]

Honestly I was a picky eater (ate about 20 things total) at 3yo, my brother was the "garbage bin" just ate anything that he was given... well roll on to now, My Mum would say that my brother is her pickiest eater!
Also remember one to two foods at a meal would have been normal 100 years ago in most families.

[Mom to M&M]

Just thought I'd pop back in with an update. Frankly, not too much to say though! DS has started eating roasted potatoes, though not consistently - some nights when I make them he'll eat a TON and other times he gets upset at the sight of them. But he hasn't tried any fresh fruits or veg still, won't use cutlery still (other than to feed himself pasta with a spoon) and still won't eat any "meats" other than his beloved meatballs and the (homemade) chicken nuggets. And sometimes nitrate free/hormone free hot dogs. Thank goodness he has been eating the roasted chickpeas and also pistachio nuts for snacks many days!

He IS getting his two year molars finally so I'm sure that isn't helping. But given how long this has been going on I don't have much hope for things drastically changing once they are through!

[~Sara~]

*hugs* I know what you means about teething and it not really making a difference either way.

Well, at least he's expanded his food repetoire with those potatoes, right?  (trying to find some silver lining...)  I don't know what else to suggest other than staying the course.  It seems like from Mashi's experience, the first major step took months to happen.  Hang in there! 

[Katet]

Has he taken up a new food or a variation on cooking in the last month? or averaged 3 things in the last 3 months... because if that is the case then you are on a positive road... it was really slow going with DS1 at 2/3yo... but now at 8yo he is pretty good... now asks for foods that 3 years ago would be "Yuck" We have gone from both boys rarely eating the family meal, to now only DS2 having a "free pass" once/week. I try a new (to the family) dish every week or 2 & DS1 always trys & nearly always enjoys... DS2 not so much, but I look where DS1 was 2 years ago & where DS1 was 5 years ago & truely it is so different... keep plodding & remember some children take 3 or 4 of attempts orthers, like my DS1, 100 exposures was common.

[Erin M]

Stay the course!  Thanks for updating! 

[Mom to M&M]

Thanks again guys. The only new food Kate was the roasted potatoes. But the last two times now (including last night) he's totally refused them again.

[Erin M]

Any progress lately?

[Mom to M&M]

Thanks for asking Erin! No real progress. Will touch a few other foods but not eat anything more. He WILL now use a fork for certain foods (ones he was already eating) so at least that is good I guess. He knows I am finely chopping stuff like broccoli or cauliflower into his pasta sauce. He seems me doing it, I tell him I'm doing it and he seems the veggies there (they are not hidden at all, quite visible). And he LOVES eating it that way. But give him a "normal" fruit or veggie of any kind and he gets quite upset. Still no chicken other than the nuggets, etc. Le sigh.