My PICKY little eater! Is this normal?

[hopper116]

My ds (almost 15 months) has turned into quite the picky eater.  He'll only eat certain things, and no matter how much my dh and I try, he won't eat certain foods.  He does not like pasta at all.  Not crazy for the veggies either.  The only foods he'll eat without reservation is chicken, actually most meets he likes.  He'll eat cheese, eggs, bananas, grits, oatmeal, grilled cheese, sometimes potatoes.  One day he'll eat something, and the next day, he spits it out.  Sometimes he'll eat a peanut butter sandwich.  I try EVERYDAY to get him to try veggies, etc., but he won't go for it.  It really has me worried.  Any suggestions?  Do other parents deal with this sort of stuff?  If so, what do you do?
Thanks so much!
Stephanie

[isaac'smom]

I find that this is a toddler thing. Ds is the same...he can love something one day and then the next he spits it out. I have just been putting that food on his plate, knowing that it will soon pass and all I can do it keep offering it because he may like it that particular day  I'm also careful not to make a big deal out of him not eating something so as not to make eating a negative experience for him.

I was going to say to shred or mash some veggies into things like pasta, but he doesnt' like that, you said. I would keep offering it anyways. You could still mash/shred veggies into his eggs or put a thinly sliced tomato into his grilled cheese. You could stuff chicken breasts with spinach, mushrooms, etc. to get some veggies into him. Have you tried experimenting with different types of pasta or cooking it shorter or longer (al dente or mushier)?

I know it can be frustrating...especially after you've worked so hard to cook something that you think (or at least are praying) he'll eat! 

[Poppy & Lily]

Hi stephanie,

completly normal! my dd went through a very picky stage when she was around 16mths old, it's just their way of being independant, frustrating i know!! i didn't make a big deal out of it and instead found ways of hiding the veggies like in pasta sauces or mashing in some cauliflower and broccoli in with her mash potatoe, this worked really well you can also mash in carrots.  I just kept offering her all types of food at dinner time alongside her favourites and if she left it that was ok.  Eventuallly she started to try new things and discovered that she liked some of the stuff

Also she doesn't eat fruit so i give her smoothies which she loves!! hopefully he will outgrow this phase soon!

HTH 

[Marisa's Mom]

My LO, 16 mos, is picky at times too. I think it's normal. I stopped stressing over it. If she eats what I set out for her, great. If not, I let it go. She'll eat when she's hungry, and she usually makes it up at a later meal.

Have you tried melting cheese on his veggies?  I give DD melted cheese over broccoli. She inhales the stuff!