Struggling with picky 2yr old.

[ZacsMumme]

Claire have you tried him with cream cheese - if he can have it? I find this is a Good alt to cheese sometimes and I can get Z to have it with smoked salmon and a wee bit of spinach or rocket, or he has it with jam, or chopped up dried apricots?

Hugs, my boy is ever so fussy too - esp at dinner x

[clairebear79]

Have you tried re-offering dinner food when he starts to get cranky from being hungry?  That way you aren't "caving in" when he didn't eat dinner but still giving him a chance to eat again..

Yes we do this!  It is a bit mean, but we figure he will get the message sooner, rather than giving him an alternative!

Re: sandwich ideas, I think I need to get creative & start trying some more fillings again.  I've actually been thinking about what I like to have in a sandwich, & I am really not a picky eater on the whole, except for sandwich fillings!  I like salad, cheese & chutney, don't mind meat (eg ham/chicken) but only a small amount, can't cope with huge thick chunks, and fish - YUCK!  I like cooked fish but absolutely cannot bear it cold it makes me feel sick!  I've tried to serve tuna mayo a couple of times but he's not really taken to it, but then I'm not really leading by example am I?!  Oh dear!

Sara - Cream cheese - we've avoided up to now given him being MPI but since he can tolerate hard cheese now he may well be ok with that - so one to try this week!

[ZacsMumme]

Sara - Cream cheese - we've avoided up to now given him being MPI but since he can tolerate hard cheese now he may well be ok with that - so one to try this week!

good luck honey....also you may not get it there but we get these wedges  - its like a soft cheese, and can be 'spread' onto a slice of bread (is expensy but in small amounts is good) Z likes it with pastrami, ham. http://www.thelaughingcow.com/products/original-creamy-swiss/

I found the best way to sneak veg into a sammie is just put the tiniest bit in, then increase it  

Does O like toasted sammies? Sometimes this helps you to get more variation. ie Z will eat mushrooms or corn in one with cheese. That said - my kid is the sandwich king

[Lemonthyme]

Personally I find cream cheese horrible unless it's in something, it's just so bland.  I was convinced my son didn't like sandwiches until I stopped offering that!  One thing he loves though is pate.  It's fine after 12 months to give things like that and far tastier.  It might be a crazy suggestion but more flavour might be worth a go?

[ZacsMumme]

I don't give cream cheese on its own...

[Lemonthyme]

Oh ok!  That's probably where I was going wrong!  What do you give it with?

[TB9]

cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches, mmmmm....

which are even tastier if you can get a roasted veggie flavoured cream cheese....

probably should stay away from food related threads at 13 weeks pregnant, I'm getting all sorts or cravings just talking about food 

[clairebear79]

Sara - yes we get laughing cow & he does like it.  Will def give it a try adding some things in with it thought. 

Here's where I struggle, if I put a sandwich infront of him & its got a filling he doesn't recognise, he will point blank refuse to try it & just push it away.  I don't really know how to make him try it.  Its not like a main meal where I can give him a taster of a new food along with something I know he likes & if he refuses to eat that's his choice, a sandwich is a sandwich so it feels a bit mean if I give him a single new food & then if he doesn't like it/refuses to even taste it then he's got nothing to fall back on.  Then again maybe I need to just use the same approach as we do at tea time i.e. if he doesn't eat thats his choice & he goes hungry, even if it is a new food?

[*Becky*]

Claire - I have just skimmed the thread so apologies if you have already done this but Henry is very similar by the sound of it. One thing I do is make a tomato sauce with hidden veg. We put it onto pasta and then bake it with cheese on top or we put it onto pizza....he loves it and the veg is completely whizzed up so he cannot see any of it. Would O go for that?

[TB9]

Here's where I struggle, if I put a sandwich infront of him & its got a filling he doesn't recognise, he will point blank refuse to try it & just push it away.  I don't really know how to make him try it.

Maybe try offering the filling separate?  I usually let DD have a taste of sandwich fillings while I'm preparing if I'm making something new...tbh, her sandwich repertoire is toasted tomato, salmon (with mayo and dill), tuna or ham with cheese sub sandwiches.  And no fail, she ALWAYS opens up the sandwich and eats the filling first, then maybe will eat the bread.  It's just the way she is.  Maybe he just isn't a sandwich kid??? 

I think there are some kids who also just refuse to even try anything new right away (whether it's food or new experiences) but eventually will come around and give it a try.  Does he refuse to try new things in other areas of his life?

[ZacsMumme]

Can you add something to what he already likes? Ie cheese and ham, cheese and mamite/Vegemite, then gradually sneak in a touch of spinach or so? I say this while my boy often examines too, so it doesn't always work
LT -

I find this is a Good alt to cheese sometimes and I can get Z to have it with smoked salmon and a wee bit of spinach or rocket, or he has it with jam, or chopped up dried apricots?

Oh will he eat egg in a Sammie?? Or banana mashed?