Hi!
My baby (22 months) used to be a good eater. Lately, he won't eat much of anything and would rather throw his food than anything else. He likes crackers, fruit cups and junk food. We don't give him much junk food and we know that he can't live off crackers and fruit cups. He doesn't like our food (chicken, potatoes, greenbeans, pasta, etc.) and he doesn't eat the Little Gerbers meals. He still appears healthy~not malnurished. Does anyone have any suggestions of how I can get him to at least try new foods? Thanks.
Hi Everyone. Thanks for your advice. So I limited the amount of snacks that he has and I've also stopped giving him choices. (I used to give him something and if he didn't want to eat it, offer him something else.) When he starts to fuss or cry because I won't let him have crackers for a meal, he's taken out of his high chair. I think he understands that he's not getting the cracker and if he's hungry, he'll have to eat what was offered. Sometimes, he climbs back in and eats what was offered, sometimes he scurries off to play (or cries because he didn't get his way). Dinner is still the toughest and when he is most picky. I've stopped giving him snacks in the afternoon and limit his juice, but he doesn't always eat (just wakes up hungry in the middle of the night and is satified with a bottle~another habit for another day that needs to stop). Anyway, thanks for the input. Also, I will try some of the foods you mentioned that Sammy hasn't tried. And, also, thanks for the info from the pediatrician. It's what I though, but comforting to know my baby's not going to become malnourished. Have a great day!
My son was the same way. I realized he didn't want to eat or try anything because he wasn't hungry, he was full from snacking and drinking milk. Once I limited his snacks and milk, he began to eat much better.
Hi J.-
Honestly, I don't have any tips for getting your son to try different things, but I can give suggestions for some foods my picky eater will eat. My son never liked the "toddler" foods from Gerber, etc. either. If he is eating crackers, maybe spread some peanut butter or cream cheese on them to make them more substantial. I am not sure if your son has already tried (or not tried) the following foods. When he was Sammy's age (he is now almost 3 and still eats all of this) he was very fond of Eggo waffles and mini pancakes. They have so many different varieties and they are really not unhealthy. They are still a staple in our house. you can toast them up with a bit of butter ad skip the syrup if you don't want the sweets. He also loves mac and cheese. I get the Easy Mac microwave packets or the Annie's single serve packs. You could maybe try fun pasta shapes with a little bit of sauce or make a butter sauce. Chicken nuggets are a favorite here as well. Biscuits with butter-Pillsbury sells some called Perfect Portions-you only have to cook 2 at a time. Have you tried yogurt tubes? Maybe the fun of them being in a tube would be enticing. You can find the Stonyfield Farms or Horizon organic tubes at some supermarkets or just stick with the Gogurt tubes. Bagels and cream cheese-you could even get strawberry cream cheese to make it more tasty. You could try making sandwiches and cut the bread with cookie cutters into fun shapes. If he won't eat PB & J, you could try a little Fluff with the peanut butter. These are only suggestions based on what my son will eat. Maybe try to find things that are fun to eat and he will try them. Good luck!
ALL OF MY KIDS STARTED OUT GOOD EATERS, THEN FORGET IT, THEY DID'NT WANT ANYTHING BUT A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS, MOSTLY JUNK FOOD. I JUST TRY TO MAKE SMALL PORTIONS OF GOOD THINGS THEY LIKE, EVEN IF IT WAS THE SAME THING EVERY NIGHT. THE OLDER THEY GET THE MORE THEY LIKE, SO IT SEEMS. IF THEY'RE HUNGRY, THEY'LL EAT. I MONITOR THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY EAT SOMETHING. I THINK USUALLY IT'S AN AGE THING.
Hi J.,
My son is 21 months and i was running into the same problem. My son was eating cheerios and milk throughout the day..our doctor told us to limit the milk because he was getting full. Now he eats eggo waffles or pancakes, potatoes(just recently) toast, grilled cheese , and his favorite are pop tarts...so i hope this helps you out...our doctor said that he will eat when he is hungry and he is not malnourished niether....good luck!!
HI J., I would like you to try things like fun foods. kids want to be independent. Thats what we want them to be... Right? so here we go..... finger foods... cut up fruits good tasting foods like... zucchini bread, carrot cake, sweet potato fries( oven baked), raisin bread. puddings with whole milk..... You need to read, T Barry Brazelton.... Don't sweat the small stuff he always says... As long as you are trying to get some nutritionally good food in them & giving them a vitamin supplement they should be fine..But if you have major concerns about your childs weight gain or developement check with your DR. good luck!... But it sounds like yo are doing a great job.. & its OK to say Help.. Kathy
My daughter is the same way, one thing that is good, she loves vegatables, she will not eat any meat, but she does drink a lot of milk. i too thought oh my god she is starving to death, but one look at her you can see she is no where skinny. I was told they go through growth spurts, that so long as she is healthy if she doesn't want to eat don't force her, i hope she is going through a growth spurt because she still has the baby rolls on her inner thighs, thought they would be gone by this age. 22months
