Support thread for moms of picky eaters

[Meg's Mom]

sabine, i just wanted to add that i can sympathize with your frustration.  My now 26mo old would not eat one finger food veg until just a few months ago.  She still only eats 3.  Volume is not a problem for her either. 

If you read back in the pages of the thread you will see lots of helpful tips. 

I think it is important to remember that he is not doing this be stubborn or picky.  He just isn't ready for the new textures.  I have to keep reminding myself of this.  The new textures are a developmental skill and our LOs are just taking more time to develop this skill then other...just like walking, talking, etc. 

I would definitely keeping trying new foods but don't push and don't make a big deal about it.  The best tip i can offer in getting him to try new foods is think of what texture/tastes he current likes and try to start with similar items.  It sounds like fruit is one texture he doesn't like, i don't know where you are but try justomatoes - lots of us have good luck w/ those as they are fruit but just freeze dried.   http://www.justtomatoes.com/html/1fruits.html

Also look at the other thread "what did your picky toddler eat today". 

HTH!

[Sabine]

thanks i'll give it a go and keep you posted.

sabine

[Deb_in_oz]

sabine - ditto to Michelle's post.

also an update on us - we went away on holiday for 11 days and just got back this week. just before we went i had some successes and while we were away it was like a different child.  she tried and fell in love with olives - both black spanish ones and green ones stuffed with pimento  and begs for them daily (actually traded a cookie for olives and forgot all about the cookie). she ate lots of fresh fish dishes regularly and loved them and although she did not like them, she TRIED fresh papaya, smoked mussels, saurkraut (figured if she liked the vinegary olive taste...) and nuts that were in our meusli (i praised her for trying and told her it was ok she spit them out...)

it gives me hope - and funnily enough she was easier to feed sometimes than our 3yo who woudl not eat fish except fish sticks we bought at the shops (we were on a south pacific island for gosh sake and ate fresh seafood so much)

[binxyboo]

I do not want to jinx myself, but Riley's eating has been getting "better" lately. He is eating a bit more at each meal and is more open to trying new things. I have been trying to relax ore with meals, maybe he senses that. Also, I am not buying any more "filler foods" such as Gerber Veggie Puffs and Wagon Wheels etc. I think they fill him up but have no nutrition in them. His fave snack at the moment are wheat thins, pieces of fruit cut up etc. He will often eat in his stroller, there is a snack try attached, and in the past I would give him the fruit puffs etc, but now I will bring veggies, pasta shapes etc and he eats them no bother. So even if he eats less at mealtime, I know his snacks have been nutritious.

I feel better since we switched to his new paed. She pointed out that even if he doesn't eat much quantity wise, quality wise he's doing good as he favors veggies above all else. Right now he is on a Brussels Sprouts kick. First I was worried they would make him gassy, but he's been fine with them.

Anyway, that's all for now. Hope your lo's are doing well!

[Lucysmom]

Hi Everyone -

So our little update here is that Lucy ate some banana this morning for the first time ever!    It was a texture thing with her as she likes a lot of other fruit.  Granted, she only took two bites but she did swallow them so I am hopeful.  She also will eat this Gerber Graduates Little Flakes Instant Cereal for Toddlers so that is a new development.  It is so interesting that some foods she will just take to instantly (like kiwi for instance  ) whilst others she finds revolting (like most melons except watermelon). My main challenges with her are finding ways to get protein in her and getting her to like a veggie other than potato.  She liked carrot for an instant but only if they were salted quite a bit.  I have read somewhere that babies cannot taste salt.  Has anyone else heard of this?  I am quite sure now as a toddler she can taste salt as she seems to like it.  And she also loves the sweet/tart combo of fruits (but only certain ones  ).

Anyway, any pointers on increasing protein options for her?  Right now she will eat chicken nuggets sometimes and will eat that nasty jarred baby food that is apples and chicken.  But  in each jar there is only 2 grams of protein.  She does drink soy milk so she gets some protein from there too.  So far she has not liked beans.  But that does not mean that she might end up liking them down the road I guess.  Oh, I thought of you Deb the other day as my grocery store just started selling Heinz baked beans.  I remembered your dd liked them and thought to myself that maybe I should try them with Lucy.

I am completely rambling here (can you tell I missed BW terribly?) but any insight would be great!  Thanks!

[Meg's Mom]

We have protein meat problem also - things Megan will eat are:
-cottage cheese
-chicken nuggets w/ ranch
-fish fingers/sticks w/ ranch
-cheese
-ground beef in her pasta (if need you can put sauce w/ beef into blend to make more smooth).

My new sly trick is tofu.  I mix a package of sugar free choc pudding w/ 1 package of silken tofu, 2 tbs cocoa powder - add a bit of milk or soy milk - mix all in the food processor (blender was a mess).  She thinks it is choc pudding and it has about 8 grams of protein for 3.5 oz serving.  This recipe made about 4 - 4oz cups. 
You can also make tofu brownies, i am going to try that one next.

I have also started using this protein myself and i noticed the web site state it can be used for children / elderly and doesn't cause constipation.  I would want to check w/ her ped first though.  It does mix really really easy, can even put in coffee and mix w. a spoon!  http://www.bnrg.com/inc_1products_whey.htm

HTH, glad everyone is doing well.  Megan has been trying more new foods also.  She now likes quesdillias (spell?) and is open to touching, licking and sometimes even tasting the new food.

[Lucysmom]

Hi Michelle - That is great that Megan is making progress!     Thanks for the protein tips too.  Unfortunately, Lucy cannot have most of them as she has a milk allergy (so no cheese or anything with any milk derivative in it).  I looked up the protein you mentioned and it is called "whey" something or other and whey is a milk product so that is no go as well.     I guess I will just have to persevere with trying fish sticks and maybe eggs.  She has taken a bite of a fish stick but immediately spit it out and looked at me like, "What was that cr@p?!"     But maybe one day she'll like it. 

Speaking of food I need to get lunch going here.  And yes, it is chicken nuggets YET AGAIN! 

[Mom to M&M]

I'm so happy and jealous at the same time to hear that so many of you are making progress! We are stuck in the same old rut except Marisa is teething really BADLY and even refusing some of her old favorites. Only progress we had is that I found she does like the taste of beef meatballs (either my homemade ones or from Italian restaurant). She doesn't love the way they feel to pick up though so last night I speared a few pieces on some baby forks and she got a kick out of that and had 4-5 bites that way. Still no fresh fruit or fresh veggies, still no pasta, etc. I am planning on calling an OT/feeding therapist that an aquaintance highly recommended but awaiting contact information...

[Meg's Mom]

Karen - meatballs is huge!  that is totally new texture.  What is your recipe??  Spearing is a good idea, I think I will try that ... maybe with Popsicle sticks.

Lucysmom - is it the pudding mix she can't have? try these: http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=tofu+pudding

[Mom to M&M]

Any other ideas for foods that would spear well?

Michelle - when I make meatballs I just mix ground beef (I use extra lean, kosher meat) with egg, water, bread crumbs (seasones), garlic powder, salt and pepper, form the meatballs and simmer them for 2 hours in tomato sauce, tomato paste, butter, chopped onion and water. They come out really soft and good but she likes the ones from the local pizzeria/Italian restaurant just the same.

[Meg's Mom]

thanks they sounds delish!  too bad you can't send a bite my way 

[Deb_in_oz]

so glad to hear of everyone's progress...

Melissa - protein has always been a general issue here but what we have success with are:
smoked salmon (she eats this for lunch at least 3 times a week), baked beans, roast chicken (less so these days, but on holiday she LOVED these freshly made BBQ chicken kabobs that had BBQ sauce on them), sometimes other beans (chickpeas, kidney beans, butter beans - from a tin and rinsed), an occassional meat source (a rare bite of meatloaf or meatball) and her new love fish (fish sticks (did not like the first 6-8 times offered then just wanted it one day) and grilled/pan fried fish) - oh and she tried and ate somoe deli ham this week too so definitely a wider range developed over the last month so i am not serving salmon every day (dh said our house deposit fund is depleted from buying smoked salmon and overpriced bananas )

liv still absolutely refuses all cheese and eggs

today was all about scoffing down lots of tomatoes this morning. she got upset when i woudl not give her a whole big one but instead cut pieces 

Karen - the meatballs are a HUGE thing in my mind. each new food is a great triumph. since you know she likes meatballs i woudl try other similar things. first you can vary the meat in meatballs depending on what your family eats (chicken, veal, pork, beef all come in mince/ground form) and you can add veggies that are pureed to either the meatballs or your simering sauce.  If you look up recipes for "rissoles" these are hugely popular in Oz and are like flatter bigger meatballs and have tons of various recipes (lots of delis and restaurants serve them) and can be eaten warm or cold, on sandwiches or like meatballs/meatloaf woudl be served .  and as for spearing you can do almost any table food - i woudl just give her a kids fork an dlet her practice feeding herself with it.  Liv has been eating with a fork and spoon for a long time and has been self feeding since Marisa's age or earlier and likes the control... when she is unable to get something on the fork she just picks it up, but she likes to try and is successful most of the time now

[Mom to M&M]

Thanks guys. She had another 4-5 small bites of the meatballs tonight again - mostly off the fork - she gets some in her mouth that way and picks some off the fork too. I will also try chicken or turkey meatballs (we don't eat pork) and maybe try adding some pureed carrot or sweet potato one time?

I wish she would eat more protein too - only at dinner and not much even then - no eggs, less cheese even lately.

LOL at the tomatoes!

[Katet]

Karen, I actually make my meatballs with equal parts of meat & veg, I blend up the veg & lentils/chickpeas & then add it with the breadcrumbs etc... I have meat lovers, who aren't great on the veg, so I "hide" veg in anything I can 

[lvecvagare]

I also was very happy to find this thread. Our 13-mo-old PR also has become very picky about the looks and textures of foods. So, I have learned many new things that I could try. Thank you.

I also wanted to share two things that helped us. PR was throwing food a lot - regardless whether he liked it or not, but particularly, if he did not. So, I got sick & tired of it and decided to "teach" him not to do it. Initially I observed him to detect the hints that he is contemplating to throw the food. Once I learned that (it took me just a couple of meals) I would put my hand in front of him and then tried to catch his hand just as he got into trowing position, but before he let the food go. Of course, I managed to do it half of the time at best... After a week or so, he started to realize what was going on and started to release the food into my hand voluntarily as I caught his hand. After about another week he put the food into my open hand when it was in front of him. After a number of times of hysterical cheering from my side, he learned to put in my hand whatever he had as soon as put my open hand in front of him. It has made eating (as well as playing) quiet a bit more enjoyable (as heavy toys are less likely to land on my head... .

The second thing I wanted to share is about delayed development. Some moms wrote about late crawling and walking. PR was also late with everything. At 9 mo-s he still was not able to sit up, pull himself up, crawl, nothing. He was not even babbling yet. He was only squeaking. Our pediatrician sent him for different blood tests, hearing tests, neurologist, brain scans and god knows what. I just hated putting him through all that and each appointment required long waiting times. So, when he was 11mo and nothing had changed and we had not been through even half of those tests, I got very frustrated and finally listened to my sister (she has 3 kids). She told me to take him to osteopath. It turned out that PR's one hip and neck muscles are very tight. After 2 visits PR started babbling and getting into crawling position. 4 visits later (PR was 12 mos) he was not only sitting up, he was pulling himself up and starting to walk when holding on things. He is 13 mos now and walks across a room unaided!!! Now we just go for monthly check ups. If anybody is interested, I can tell you more about it.
Cheers,
L.