Picky Toddler!

Cassie - posted on 07/04/2009

Hi, mynamde is Cassie I have a 3 yr. old and a 22 month old. They are picky one day and clean their plates the next. I sometimes get to the point that if they just want to eat french fries (which they do sometimes) I let them eat it. If they're really putting up a fight, I offer ceral or a fruit and ceral bar or yogurt. I guess I feel that as long as they're getting something to eat I'm happy, I figure it's a stage they're going thru.

Cynthia - posted on 07/03/2009

I also have a two year old "snacker". His most substantial meal would probably be a peanut butter sandwich. He even won't touch things that he used to eat. I have given some baby food. I was hesitant but he won't eat any veggies. He will eat apples and sometimes a banana. I hope that this doesn't last long. It is hard.......

Erin - posted on 07/03/2009

Most of all, I'd remember that kids go through stages and as long as they're eating something they'll get bored of nuggets and bread eventually! My son went through a yogurt parfait kick where that was all he'd eat for 2 of his meals (@ times there wasn't even a 3rd meal) and the Dr. said not to worry about it... I think that lasted a month...?

Erin - posted on 07/03/2009

Ooh, pancakes are easy! You can put infant cereal in your pancake mix to add nutrients, or wheat germ, eggs, applesauce...you can be REAL creative w/ pancakes and the kid will never know! Cheese was recommended by my dentist for snacks cuz it's healthier for their teeth... Amy if your son will eat bread try letting him help you make sandwiches, give him only orowheat wheat breads (as they do not contain high fructose corn syrup). Look online for different kid friendly recipes! Let the kids help make their food, sometimes that makes them more incline to eat it. Make french toast with some crushed berrys (as that'd be healthier then jam, or jam if they won't eat who cares what it takes to get it in :) ) You can give him healthier chips like sun chips... or don't give them an option and if they don't eat serve it for their next meal, and their next meal, etc. one of these times they're bound to eat! You can always make healthy fruit smoothies with yogurt, or roll bannanas in yogurt then rice crispies and freeze it, esp since it's hot out, for a healthy treat... SO MANY OPTIONS!

Keisha - posted on 07/03/2009

Ok so I am not the only one going through this. My son eats chicken nuggets, pancakes and cheese lots and lots of cheese.

Amy - posted on 07/03/2009

I was just going to post this question! I am a mother of 2. My little girl was a breeze in this department. My little boy, 17 months, will not eat. He will turn his head to anything except cereal, bread, chips. I don't know what to do! I will talk with our pediatrician. I would appreciate any advice!!

Erin - posted on 07/02/2009

Yeah, its really important for kids to have meals with their parents! Everyone loves positive reinforcement :) Good luck!

Mary - posted on 07/02/2009

I found she will at least attempt to eat if I take a bite of it first and reply with "MMM Nummy!", and she'll take a bite and I will clap. She likes positive reinforsement.

Erin - posted on 07/01/2009

My son will be picky at times and will only want something like cookies for breakfast, which he is always told NO, that is not a breakfast food. So I'll get a bowl of cereal or make myself something and commence to eat (as he was also asked and replied NO). Generally speaking, as soon as he sees me eating he wants my food and sits in my lap and eats whatever I'm eating. I used to make him PBJs w/creamy PB since he was 2 and they don't recommend nuts at that age, etc. Well my husband is a crunchy PB eater and my son would sit with him and eat his sandwiches, and refuse my creamy PBJ. So I had to relent and give him the crunchy. Occasionally all he wants is chocolate and I will compromise with him and make him a chocolate, PBJ (using a tiny layer of choc frosting on the inside) or make him choc chip pancakes, whatever to get him over that hump that particular day. Although I haven't had to add choc to his sandwiches for a good month or more now, and only did a handful of times. Putting berries in his yogurt making it a parfait (i used frozen and would nuke em, if i didn't anticipate the order earlier, as they hold better then fresh) the berries made the yogurt more fun to eat, esp. if he got to stir it in. He won't touch meat w/out bbq sauce, eggs w/out ketchup... He's a saucy kinda kid :) But you just try a bunch of things and some stick and others don't?

Kim - posted on 07/01/2009

My son is a picky eater but I have found a couple of things that sometimes help to get him to eat something.

One is to cook it together. I sit him up on the kitchen counter and let him help me cook. It makes a rotten mess but there are plenty of things he can do. He likes to wash the carrots or other veggies and he now likes carrots (most of the time).
I showed him how to crack eggs into a bowl and whisk them up (yes he makes a rotten mess and I hover over him with a disinfectant wipe) but he now likes scrambled eggs.
We make healthy oatmeal raisin cookies, and he loves to make all kinds of soups and smoothies because he loves pressing the button on the blender and watching the fruits or veggies blend up.

The other thing is to serve new things when his favourite cousin, Caitlyn is around. She is 6 and a good eater and he will automatically eat anything he sees her eating, or that she feeds to him.

Sharon - posted on 07/01/2009

Mine is the worst. She only eats waffles, crackers and cheese, applesauce, yogurt and thats about it. It is so frustrating. You find an answer I would love to know.

Corrine - posted on 06/30/2009

my neice went through many many phases of not eating, she is 3 1/2 now, and still does here and there, all she wants is junk food...chips, gummy snacks, sugar cereal, ect. my sister brought her to the pedi and he told her "food deprivation is not in a childs vocabulary." I know it sounds horrible, but she recently went a week without eating...if she doesnt eat what is made for breakfast, she doesnt get her morning snack. If she refuses lunch, no afternoon snack and same with dinner and dessert. After a week of nothing but milk and water, she ate a blended drink of chocolate Pediasure, oatmeal and scrambled eggs. You could also try to mix things...my mom use to mix ground cooked chicken to her mac & cheese.

Mary - posted on 06/30/2009

Thanks! I'm worried because she only wants crap, french fries (thanks to daddy), chips, bread, anything not good.

Holly - posted on 06/30/2009

Hello my name is Holly and i have 3 boys and they all have been pickey from here and there the only thing i can tell you is to keepoffering it ! If you are worried about her not getting enough food talk to your peditrition about it aswell you can offer her some V8splash juice and try some Pediasure drinks witch come in vanilla ,cho ,strawberry and they are lactosee free and i use aswell Nutripals real fruit bars !!!!!I also know try to cut out snacks during the day ,if you can and just keep offering it !Good luck looking forwars to hear from u on how she is doing !