I have the pickiest eater ever...help!!

[Mom to M&M]

My DD is the same - currently refusing even grilled cheese and the like and only having 1-2 bites of something if lucky and then asking (well demanding) "fafa" which means English muffin or waffle. Luckily both are whole grain - she has been living on those toasted with butter and not even much of that. It's frustrating but I'm trying to go with it and hope it passes soon.

[Sabine]

thanks to you all....any way to get OT's or dieticians to help out with picky eaters? can you pay for their services b/c at this point I'll do anything for more help.

sabine

[Sabine]

So this is what he ate yesterday....I wish he had more variety besides lunchmeat and chicken.  any ideas for meats to serve finger food wise and how to serve?

breakfast: 8oz milk and 1/2 waffle, few Wheetabix flakes dry, Nutrios few, 1/4 apple fresh and 1.5 Mingo's
snack: few cheddar bunny crackers and 1/4 banana
lunch: 1 slice oven roasted turkey lunch meat, 1/4 slice toast with butter, few bites cheese, tried carrot (refused), 1/2 apple
snack: few rice crackers, 1/2 banana, milk 40z, fewbites cheddar
supper: 3 homemade chicken fingers, 3 pita crisps (homemade baked pita brushed with oil and seasonings), 3 peas, tried corn/carrots refused, refused mashed potato, 1 motts unsweetened peach applesauce and 1 minigo
snack: 1 mum mum, nutrios and 7oz milk in cup before bed

How can I get more variety in him?  any suggestions on variety finger meats (ie. pork, fish, beef) and finger veggies besides frozen peas and corn and carrot which I am trying now?

Sabine

[Sabine]

p.s stacy...he does hate textures, he won't even pick up grapes/watermelon and forget pasta.  i may have to contact an OT about this issue.  how do they even deal with that?

sabine

[woopster]

Sabine, he really is eating well.  He is doing the right thing for him - he is eating little and often.  You can't MAKE him eat.
As for things like watermelon - well, it is a little slippery to pick up. I have problems picking it up!  Pasta too is a strange texture - maybe he just doesn't like it?
The menu you posted above - there is quite a wide variety of foods there.  He is eating fruits, carbs, proteins, meats.
Just keep giving him old favourites with some new stuff alongside them.  He will try it eventually!
It can take at least 15 - 20 attempts to get a toddler to try something new.  If he doesn't like a food, leave it a few days then offer it again.
The only veg my 3yo will eat is raw carrot, every dinner time I put veg on his plate, broccoli and cauliflower one day, cooked carrots and sugar snaps another day, blah, blah, blah...every dinner time he leaves it! 
.

[woopster]

Well, look at that!  I posted more or less the same thing as Stacy at the same time!! Great minds, eh Stacy?!? 

[Mom to M&M]

I agree with Stacy and woopster. I wish Marisa ate as well as your DS. She won't eat lunchmeat, no finger veggies, only dried fruit (no fresh), no pieces of cheese, etc. And yes, when she does eat a chicken nugget (which she's starting to refuse lately), one nugget is a lot for her. We may actually be contacting an OT - but IMHO, Sabine, your DS is doing quite well.

[Mom to M&M]

Well I guess at least Kaleb used to eat more foods and try things. Marisa never did and it's only gone downhill from there...

[Mom to M&M]

LOL I know Stacy, thanks! Yes, I think I'm going to call this OT that was highly recommended by someone else with similar problems. She's never warmed up to variety - regardless of teething...

[Sabine]

Thanks guys!!  I guess I will just have to keep presenting healthy options and hope for the best.
I appreciate the support !!

Sabine