Picky eater

Sai Prameela - posted on 04/09/2013

My Daughter is 18 months old ,She is a very picky eater,i tried by giving time like when she feels hungry she will eat at that time also she won't and she will be very crancky.
I have try many varities then some times i may have lunch.How to avoid this situation of offering multiple varities.Because if i dont offer multiple varities she will take only some quantity and stay like that hungry .

Jannell - posted on 01/14/2010

This to shall pass!! I PROMISE....just offer her at least 1 thing a day she is normally not crazy about! She will come around! She will eat what she likes and MAy eventually try the other!
My son was a picky eater! Now he is 3...he eats ALOT better!
I always got turkey and rolled it up so he would get protein!
Just be patient...as long as she eats, she will be ok....
Also if you know she likes "chicken"
Call pork chops "chicken" it may pass.....LOL
Good Luck!

Pamela - posted on 01/14/2010

I have a five year old son that is a picky eater due to having sensory issues. If you notice that your daughter has a brake down when touching other things besides food such as wool, wet grass, sand or other textures it could mean that she as sensory issues and that is why she is a picky eater. If this is the case some therapy that helps introduce new textures in a play like manner might help with her eating. If this is not the case than it is behavior due to her age and just keep trying to introduce new things and she will grow out of it. I wish you the best of luck because it is hard having a child that is a picky eater. I would also talk to your doctor to make sure she is getting enough vitamins and is gaining enough weight for her height and age!

Barbara - posted on 01/14/2010

One of my girls is the same way,she has sensory issues and doesn't like anything new. Her twin will try everything, but this one wont even try it. I can't put new foods on her plate so when we are eating something I know she doesn't like, I make sure to at least make a side dish I know she will eat. For example, she loves broccoli so if I have a meat dish I know she wont eat I will make sure to include broccoli so she will eat something. I figure eventually after seeing something on the side of her plate she will try it. Her twin even says, this is yummy you try it, but she wont. The dr said not to worry, she eats a lot of fruit and proteins so she'll be fine, I supplement with vitamins to play it safe. Forgot to mention, they just turned 3 but this has been going on for about 6-8 months now.

Erin - posted on 01/13/2010

Oh my! I'm going through the exact thing right now. My daughter is also 22months! Is it the age? My husband and I are constantly 'tagging out' when it's dinner time because it's so frustrating to feed her. She's really good at the 'NO!' and throw thing too. I have been given the advice that she will eat when she is hungry. There have been a couple times that she hasn't had anything! Certainly not by lack of trying on our part. But then eventually, she will just start to mow down on whatever is in front of her.

The other tough thing is when she loves something one meal, then when you try to give it to her again, she acts as though it's the end of the world for her to eat it..that is YUCKY! :-) Ahh..the joys of parenthood, right??

Amy - posted on 01/08/2010

i had that problem with my son when he was 2 (he is three now). I finally stopped giving in to his demands, no matter how bad the temper tantrum was. He got what everyone else had and if he chose not to eat it then he didn't eat. It actually worked. The doctor told me he won't starve himself and it is okay for him to go a while without eating. He now tries everything given to him. some nights are a struggle but he is not nearly as bad as before. Just be prepared for the hard work of dealing with the tantrums. :)

Gwen - posted on 01/08/2010

Also, if Sadie throws a fit at dinner, I take her out of her chair and tell her to go in the other room until she calms down. I'm not going to sit there and let her ruin dinner for everyone. You'd be surprised at just how fast she calms down when she has to leave the room where no one can see her!



....and quit "asking" her. Of course if you give her a choice she's going to say "no." Rephrase from "Can you try the banana?" to "Eat your banana too please."

Gwen - posted on 01/08/2010

I'm with Amy McVey. Don't force her to eat, but don't give her another option either. If she has 3 foods on her plate, 1 familiar and 2 new. She won't starve to death and she'll learn that what you see is what you get.



For example: spaghetti, green beans, cherries - but only a couple. When they are gone, no more unless she eats something else.

Melissa - posted on 01/08/2010

I actually got my daughter to start trying new foods by making a reward chart for each time she tries something new. She's 4 so the chart has a lot of spaces maybe 25. She makes it herself and when she tries something new she draws the food and we put a happy face or sad face whether she liked it or not. My son does it too and we use stickers for him because he's only 2. His has less boxes on it. When she fills up the chart we choose an activity like going out for ice cream. You could use a toy as a reward but we have too much stuff. The chart works miracles if you talk aout it a lot and stick with it. Since we started my daughter started eating real chicken, green beans, carrots, brocoli (all raw veg) and tons of other stuff has come into rotation regularly.

Joana - posted on 01/02/2010

My 2 y/o has many sensory issues - most obvious in his limited ability to tolerate different foods/textures. I also noticed he would not use his whole hand to fingerpaint of use other tactile play things. He was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder and has started occuational therapy to overcome his Neophobia. I highly recommend visiting http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.c... to see if your child's eating issues go beyond the ability to tolerate new foods - as the throwing may be in fact an inability to even tolerate looking at new foods. It is true that tough love works for about 96% of kids - but my son happens to be in the 4% that his brain (and fear) overpowers his hunger and he actually needs some therapy to help him along! Good Luck - I know fist hand how challenging it can be for a parent to have to fight that fight several times a day and trying EVERYTHING to get them to eat a better diet!

Lacey - posted on 12/31/2009

I HAVE A NIECE THAT IS 5 MONTHS YOUNGER THAN MY TWINS. AT 18 MOS SHE IS VERY PICKY WHILE MY BOYS EAT EVERYTHING. LATELY SHE HAS BEEN VISITING A LOT. THEY SHARE TYPICAL TODDLER SNACKS, BUT SHE WOULDNT EAT MUCH ELSE. RECENTLY THE MORE SHE4 SEES THEM EAT THE MORE CURIOUS SHE IS. I MADE GEMELLI NOODLES WHICH ARE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A SMALL FRY AND BUTTERED THEM FOR THE KIDS WITH A FEW STRIPS OF SUN DRIED TOMATOES SO THEY CAN PICK AND CHOOSE AS THEY PLEASE. I MADE THE SAME NOODLES WITH A PESTO, PARMESEAN AND SUNDRIED TOMATOES. SURPRISINGLY, AS SHE SAW THE TWINS TRY OURS, SHE EVENTUALLY VENTURED TO TRY SOME AS WELL AND ENJOYED IT. THIS WAS AFTER MULTIPLE VISITS AND HER REFUSING TO TRY ANYTHING. I GUESS I'D SAY PERSISTENCE PAYS. AND THE DOUBLE TEAM HELPS WITH NO FORCE. GOOD LUCK. P.S. I DID GET MY TWINS TO EAT EVERYTHING BY FOLLOWING THE ADVICE IN "SUPER BABY FOODS" BY A LADY NAMED RUTH. ALSO TRY AND INTRODUCE THINGS IN FOODS SHE ALREADY LIKES, LIKE SMALL BITS OF BROCOLLI IN HER BELOVED MAKE AND CHEESE, PUREED PARSNIPS IN MUFFINS (ALTON BROWN HAS A RECIPE) OR CUTTING PEARS IN THE SHAPE OF HER APPLE SLICES, ECT.

Amy - posted on 12/31/2009

Don't FORCE it. My daughter was picky and still is to an extent. However, she is getting much better. We have adapted a new rule at our house though. Caila understands that whatever is fixed, she must try. She doesn't get a substitute just because she says, "I don't like it." We realized that if she is always offered an alternative, then when we go to a family dinner or a friend's house to eat, there isn't always that option. Therefore, she has learned what is offered/made IS what is for dinner, lunch, etc. The part about "Don't Force It" comes from not MAKING them eat it. We tell our daughter that when she tells us "its yucky or she doesn't like it" (this being said without her trying it) that she doesn't have to eat it but she won't get anything else in its place. She will sometimes get down from the dinner table and go play. 30 minutes or so later she will come back telling us she is hungry thinking that we will make her something else. I save her plate from dinner and tell her that her dinner is at the table and I will be more than happy to heat it up for her if she is hungry. Believe it or not, she will sit down and eat it. She has learned that she can't always get an "alternative" dinner made just for her because she throws a little fit. I put it on her shoulders. She can make the choice to eat when everyone else does or eat when she it VERY hungry. Regardless, she now sits and eats with the rest of us without throwing her big fits.
If they know they will get something else made, then they will never learn to try things. You have to set an example and show them they sometimes don't have an alternative to dinner.

Edwina - posted on 12/31/2009

i get my 2 yearold to help me with the cooking, bring a chair over beside you and put them up at the counter. Hazels still a picky eater but she trys out the stuff she's helped prepare. Mushrooms are easy to break up with your hands and long spagetti, put the pot infront of her and let her put the veg or pasta into it. a small blunt knife can be used by kids to "chop" soft cheese or turkey/ham. If you do vedge thats hard to cut let them put it in the pot for you. As long as you keep a close eye on them and make sure their not near the cooker or hotwater/ sharp knives cooking for kids can be fun. And second piece of advice always eat together never let the kids eat without mom even if youonly havea small bit of what their having you lead by example and kid's will pick up ypur habits if you appear picky at eating they'll be picky eaters too.

Stephanie - posted on 12/30/2009

My son is the same way and he is 32 months. He has been like that since he was born. I was concerned before I talked to a pediatrician. Don't give up on getting her to try new things but if she says no, let it go. I used to have to actually put the food in his mouth to get him to eat certain things. Now he has a wide enough variety that I don't do that anymore. I still ask him if he would like to try what I'm having though. And I say OK if he says no. I figure if I don't push it and say a lot of mmmmmmmmmms. He will eventually be curious and want to try it on his own. I would talk to your doctor just to be sure that she is getting the vitamins that she needs. If they say yes, try not to worry too much about it and keep asking her if she would like to try things, but accept it if she says no. She will come around. I figure that they are toddlers trying to control whatever they can. I think it will go away later. I hope this helps you. :)