Getting them to eat meat!

Cheryl - posted on 04/17/2012

Ive been trying to get my son to eat meat for a while now. He was eating the baby food meat when he was younger but the red meat always upset his stomach. When he was 2 i had him eating actual small bits of chicken but then he just stopped and to this day i cant get him to eat it unless i make a sandwich and hide the meat with some jam, but even then if he notices its game over lol Hes now 4 and the battle continues

Sarah - posted on 02/12/2010

My daughter isn't a fan of meat either. She will eat hamburger, but refuses to eat chicken or any other meat. We've been giving her toddler pediasure so she can get the nutrients that she's missing. She eats tons of fruits, veggies, dairy & cheese.

Ebony - posted on 02/11/2010

I feel your pain, I hide the meet when trying to feed my daughter, but she is too smart for her own good, she figures it out sometimes. I think its just a phase though. If you figure something out, please let me know.

Ebony

Kelli - posted on 01/30/2010

Yes, I've had the same problem too, with my 23 month old daughter. She will only eat certain things, processed chicken (nuggets), sometimes hot dogs, etc. To get her protein, I've continued to buy the jarred baby food meat, purreed. She will eat one of those happily, and there's lots of protein in it. She still likes the meat sticks they make too. Otherwise, it's chicken nuggets or hot dogs, maybe thick sliced bologna or turkey cut into pieces. I'd say just keep doing what works and continue to offer new things, even if they don't eat them the first few times.

Lindsay - posted on 01/29/2010

Hey Cassie, keep trying to serve different types of meat made different ways..it's something you gotta stick with cause if you give up it's a lost cause.. my son didnt like meat.. we just didnt give him it.. except chicken cause that's what he liked..he's 12 now and still doesnt eat any meat except chicken..Also, make sure he sees you eating it.. maybe share with him off your plate.. kids always want their parents food..
As far as him not sleeping try giving him some oatmeal or cereal before bed.. it will fill him up..

Good luck

Kate - posted on 01/28/2010

hi there! Had the same issue with my toddler, try making faces out of dinner, or mixing meat with mash spud and add food dye? those little porkypine things also work a treat, make the food fun and interesting and if all else fails just hide it! lol I found just being creative really worked for us and other times just making them really small bite size pieces works a treat too. Hope everything works out fine. Don't stress too much only allow food within certain hours and then after realising "I have to eat it or i wont get to eat again until breakfast" he will get into a normal routine. He will eat if he is hungry. Best of luck!

Lori - posted on 01/28/2010

I was just coming online to ask this same question.. I see that I am in good company. I have been getting frozen broccoli with cheese and chopping it was my pampered chef chopper, then mixing with elbow mac, chicken (also chopped very small) and more recently carrots. I am sure ham will work too. Mine used to eat ham and chicken pieces and then just stopped???

Crystal - posted on 01/28/2010

peanut butter apparently is a pretty good meat alternative.

Tasha - posted on 01/28/2010

My daugher is 1 year old, and she also refuses to eat meat. I can get her to eat only a few tiny bites, but that is it!! Like spagehhtie o's and meatballs?? Forget it!!!! :P :P :P I have to buy her the ones WITHOUT any type of meat!! :P I talked to my pediatrician about it, and she told me that its normal for kids that age to reject it because of texture. I am still working on figuring out what to do to get her to eat more protein. :( :( All I can say is to keep trying, eventually he may decide that he likes it!!!! ♥ ♥ ♥

Maggie - posted on 01/28/2010

meat isn't what makes you feel full, it's fiber. If you are worried about him getting enough protien then add yogurt, eggs and beans to his diet. Some kids just don't like the texture of meat.

Heather - posted on 01/28/2010

I agree strongly with hiding the meat. My 4 year old refuses all meat so i just hide it. if he discovers it i just say whoops sorry, mommy didnt know.

Michelle - posted on 01/28/2010

what if you cut up the chicken or what ever you can and put tooth picks in it, kids love finger food like that. There is also a great cook book called the sneaky chief, she tells ways to hide stuff in food.

Kristen - posted on 01/28/2010

Ditto on hiding the meat. When my son was around 12 mo, meat was hard to get him to eat so I would take everything and throw it into a baby food maker (or food processor/blender) and he happily ate it. Soon enough he was eating meat and he's never looked back, lol.

Jennifer - posted on 01/28/2010

Will he eat a snack for you before going to bed? I would stop the midnight feedings. Tell him that he has to eat before he goes to bed. You can also try foods that hide the meat. My son loves spaghetti and I will make it with ground beef. I also put shredded chicken in his rice. I make my son scrambled eggs with cheese for extra protein. Or, peanut butter with apples. Good luck because I know it's frustrating!