5 year old want eat veggies, makes himself throw up

Sarah - posted on 09/21/2010

Hi I hope I can help a bit it can be extremely hard and frustrating I have 4 children 3 who r very good at eating and tryin and 1 who is a totally nightmare, what I do is with fruit I blend to make smoothes add a bit of ice cream then it's like milkshake, when I do certain food ie spag Bol or shepards pie i'l put everything in mushroom onions peppers carrots and so on take a portion for him out and blend it then al he see's is meat colour the first time I did this he ate every single bit I woz ova the moon another good thing is I prefer to steam my veg but wot I do for him is over boil it drain the veg keep the water u hav drained and make ur gravy from it this way they get the very best of it, and lastly have u got him to try raw veg me and my younger son prefer this, good luck.

Kerry-Anne - posted on 09/21/2010

the only foods my son likes is yogurt and corn flakes. so i mash up veggies and make it mush and i add them into those things. a little into his milk, a little into his corn flakes and a little into his yogurt :) he polishes it up like always. he has no clue that its in there. try it :)

Dana - posted on 01/22/2010

Our 7 year old had the same problem last year. He made himself vomit on his plate at the dinner table. We made it very clear that was unacceptable behavior, and would not be tolerated. We spoke wih him about it and let him know exactly how we felt. He said he didn't feel good, not that he just made himself vomit because he didn't want to eat something, and that strengthened our reslove to send him direclty to bed without tv. There was alot of crying that night, because he felt fine and wanted to stay up to eat junk and watch tv, but he got over it by the next morning, and hasnever attempted anything like that since.

Richelle - posted on 01/22/2010

As I have read over all these wonderful suggestions, I think about my own situation at home where my kids were like so many here and would not eat their fruits and vegetables! And the more I read, the more I discover how important these nutrients and antioxidants are for our bodies to fight off disease and build our immune system. But let's face it kids are picky...shoot, adults are picky.

About a year ago I got to try a new product that is simply fruits and vegetables blended together in powder form that you add to water, juice, yogurt or whatever and it provides the complete daily needs for our bodies! I started incorporating this into our family daily and became so surprised at how easy it was to get my kids using it that I had to kick myself that I had found it earlier.

I have started a Circle of Mom community with other moms that are using these products too. We are just starting the community but already there are some great info posts. Would love to have you come by and take a look. Also, I would be glad to send a sample to anyone interested. Here is the group http://apps.facebook.com/circleofmoms/gr...

I hope you will find this helpful for those of you looking for a quick and easy way to introduce fruits and vegetables into your families eating habits daily...

Myrna - posted on 01/18/2010

when my children were small they would stare at me when I ate something and did not give them any...they would stand infront of me until finally they would ask me for some of it...thats when I got them to eat something they would not normally want on their ow. Of course they were very small...I am not sure if it will work with a 5 year old. I guess you could try...just eat and look like you are really enjoying it but don't over do it...see the reaction. Just my 2 cent worth

Vickie - posted on 01/05/2010

I know it's processed, but the commercials say that raviolis have a full serving of veggies. I guess that's the same idea as hiding the veggies, but umm.. umm. I sure liked raviolis growing up. :-)

Tivoli - posted on 01/05/2010

I have done this before and it worked!!!! I made mac n cheese, as i mixed the cheese i added 1 can of sliced carrots but i pureed them first with a little chicken stock or you could use broth. I used my food processor but an upright drink blender would also work. the pureed carrot is the same color as cheese and you couldnt even taste it. I ate it, my hubby ate it....too bad my toddler dosent like noodles yet, but I was trying to trick my hubby. it was soo good. Im not sure how it works with boxed man n cheese like the kraft one bc. I made mine sauce from scratch, but it might blend better with the velveeta kind cuz the cheese sauce is already creamy...I hope it works for you!!!!

Katherine - posted on 01/05/2010

I wish I could help but my 2 1/2 year old loves fruits and veggies. (He actually chose a salad over a sandwich today) I think everyone develops different tastes over time, even adults. One day you might like one thing and the next you might hate it and vice-versa. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless your pediatrician is concerned with the amount of nutrition in your son's diet. I think my son has a pretty well balanced diet but he still gets a chewy vitamin everyday and loves it. I actually have to hide them or he'd prob eat them like candy. I'm also a big fan of hiding ingredients in foods. My finace hates mushrooms but prob eats them at least once a week without even knowing it. If you need some reassurance that you're son is healthy even with his lack of fruits n veggies ask your pediatrician. I'm sure they can tell you if your son is on the right track for growth and make suggestions if he's not.

Betty - posted on 01/04/2010

Sweet potatoes are really tasty if you bake them with butter, brown sugar, and marshmellows. They also happen to be very good for you, better than broccoli. You can also make french fries out of them and dip them in something sweet, at trader joe's they come presliced in a bag.
I know it this is kinda silly but sometimes I put cake sprinkles on my daughter's fruit to get her to eat larger servings of it. She loves it and it doubles as a dessert if I feed it to her after the main coarse. I have never seen a child eat so much fresh fruit till I tried doing this one day.
Some people might think it's bad to add a bunch of sugar to food like I do but kids and sugar go together so I'm just adding the good stuff.

Susan - posted on 01/04/2010

I just purchased a great book called the Sneaky Chef. It's all about pureeing and hiding veggies in regular food that kids like. All the reviews I read were stellar, and I spent quite a bit of time last night reading it. The author's philosophies are interesting, and she's an engaging writer, imo.



Oh, and I also have Deceptively Delicious. It's based on the same principal. Sneaky Chef seemed to have better reviews, so it might be worth checking out as well. Since I haven't actually made any of the recipes from Sneaky Chef yet, I can't speak from experience.

Preeta - posted on 01/04/2010

has he eaten them before?

i would do nothing. it is a stage. my veggie eating 7 year old wont eat any veggies now. i respect that she knows her body well and that when the time is right she will start eating them again. she does take a multivitamin. she doesnt show any change in activity or any lack of anything.

Katherine - posted on 01/03/2010

Quoting Richelle:

I actually posted a comment a few moments ago but being new to CoM I was afraid that I might be coming across as a solicitation rather than a solution... I welcome you to a new community that I have formed with some other moms called Zoe Moms where we educate and discuss ways we as moms can help our families get the nutrients their families need...

Richelle, you can post the link to your community or start a conversation with it.

Aleisha - posted on 01/03/2010

Quoting Christine:

Quoting Rachel:

Quoting Christine:

I got the book decepitvely delicious by Jessica Seinfeld about hiding them in the form of purees

I got this one too, it is Awesome!

You think it would be gross but it's really good and you can't even tell

The best one for my kids was the donuts, they absolutely loved them. The first time I made them the kids devoured them in 5 minutes.

Aleisha - posted on 01/03/2010

My son now 6 would not eat vegies but he would happily eat fruit. from the age of 2 he would gag on vegies and refuse to try anything else. we tried to hide the vegies but he would inspect the food before he ate it and if it looked different he wouldnt try it. We had been going to the drs and they said he will eat when he is hungry. We couldnt give him any suppliments because of a family medical condition. We finally got a referral to a paediatrician and we discovered that because our son suffered from tonsilitis quite frequently that he associated our regular foods (cooked vegies, either baked or steamed) with the pain he had in his throat. now that he is 6 he eats almost everything and we got there with the help of the Deceptively Delicious cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld. And now because of his lack of eating we have other problems with him growth wise. So all I will suggest is try to cook the foods he will eat with hidden purees and if you are at all concerned go to the drs and see how that goes.

Voni - posted on 01/03/2010

At times, OUr children are not ready for what we think is best for them. Perhaps, like me, he has a sensitivity to what you are giving him. After a lot of problems, it was discovered that the things I was refusing to eat would have caused a reaction in my body. As I got older, I began to eat those things. If he is healthy, try giving him vitamins to compensate for what he will not eat right now, and wait for a few months and try again.

Adrienne - posted on 01/02/2010

My son is 2 1/2 years old and he does the same thing. I'll get him to eat a bite he'll swallow then puke it up. I've tried hiding them in food but he knows the difference I'm thinking it's the texture. I never wanted to give my son juice but we started giving him V8 fusion half a cup with half water. Plus we give him a vitamin every day. But if you find anything that works please let me know! I would appreciate it! Good Luck!

Nicola - posted on 01/02/2010

Don't force him or try to trick him, eating should not be a battle. I had problems getting my boys to try new foods. Here are some of hte things that I did; we would pick out somnething new and different then go home and prepare it and taste it, Then we would say weather we liked it or not and discuss why we did or did not like it. Because I don't, was not an answer they could give, they had to tell me why they liked or disliked, to sour, burns my tounge, to sweet, the taste is bad, to soft, to hard, don't like the way it feels in my mouth etc.... Kids also like to dip, my oldest son used to dip his green beans in ketchup, not my favorite way of eating them, but he loved it and now loves green beans with out the ketchup.I've let him put chocolate sauce on broccolli, (with the stipulation that he put the chocolate on it, he had to eat it no matter what) he liked it and wanted more. We switched to cheese after that meal. Let him dip carrotts in ranch or french dressing, even put the dressing on his other veggies if he likes it. Do the same with fruits, use cheese and dips to go with them make it fun and enjoyable for him.
The reward system also works, the amount of dessert was based on how well they ate their meal. Also try making desserst with fruits and veggies. I always talked to my boys about nutrition, and why I would not let them eat certain things and why the fruits and veggies were important.
Be creative, the internet and the local library are good sources for ideas on how to prepare fruites and veggies that are appealing to kids. Good Luck.

Rachel - posted on 01/02/2010

My husband won't eat them either, but now he does!

Christine - posted on 01/02/2010

Quoting Rachel:

Quoting Christine:

I got the book decepitvely delicious by Jessica Seinfeld about hiding them in the form of purees

I got this one too, it is Awesome!

You think it would be gross but it's really good and you can't even tell

Rachel - posted on 01/02/2010

Quoting Christine:

I got the book decepitvely delicious by Jessica Seinfeld about hiding them in the form of purees

I got this one too, it is Awesome!

Christine - posted on 01/02/2010

I got the book decepitvely delicious by Jessica Seinfeld about hiding them in the form of purees

Pat - posted on 01/02/2010

It is medically proven that some people are allergic to vegetables. Look for the research and go from there. My youngest son could eat a meal and selectively throw up what he did not like.

Barbara - posted on 01/02/2010

When my son was that age we went through a similar thing, he would only eat yoghurt, baked beans and sausage (the ones that come mixed together in a tin) with an iced bun every now and again. My Doctor said he is healthy, alert and growing so don't fret, he did drink loads of milk. So I stopped worrying, carried a tin of beans and sausage at all times, and before long he was eating normally. It is a power thing while you fuss he is in control!

Laura - posted on 01/02/2010

Go for multi-vitamins and you should be okay. Does he like carrot sticks with ranch or corn on the cob? My son is 5 and SUPER picky. We make sure he takes his vitamin and gets nutrients from the other food groups. Keep offering the veggies but I wouldn't force them or lose sleep over it.

Rachelle - posted on 01/02/2010

Have him tested for allergies. My brother was very, very allergic to peas and fish and would not eat them. No one knew, they just assumed he was being stubborn. As an adult, he got tested and those 2 things were dangerously high. Not saying that this is what your son has, he might just not like the flavor or the texture.

Jackie - posted on 01/02/2010

also take him and let him pick his own fruits out at the store, let him sample them, go home and make a colorful poster to hang on his wall with all the fruits and veggies he has tried. encourage him to share his poster and show it off.

Jackie - posted on 01/02/2010

try allowing him to grow it himself when spring comes allow him to grow a few carrots and other things. I think he will be excited to try his own veggies and also be proud of them.

Dorothy - posted on 01/02/2010

Try putting them in a blender, & mix w/cocoa, milk, maybe try a milkshake. Than just tell him is a new flavor, which it would be, or maybe freeze it wi/ice cream

Erykah - posted on 01/02/2010

You can't force a child to eat anything. Think about it, if someone forced you to eat something that you really didn't like wouldn't you do the same thing? My mom used to force us to eat everything on our plate as a child, which is why I became such a picky eater. I don't do that with either of my kids. Just try to introduce something different to him once a week, a fruit and vegetable. Try explaining to them why it's good for him and making a game out of it.

Aretha - posted on 01/02/2010

Do you eat fruit and veggies in front of him? Sometimes it's phsycological, if you make them seem so very yummy he might be inclinded to prove it. Also, you might want to try different kinds of seasonings, it might be that he just doen's like the natural taste or the taste of whatever seasonings you use. I don't believe in making kids eat what they don't like either but if you introduce him to more that gives him more choices and he may just feel like he has to choose something. Again, it might just be a mind thing with him.....good luck

Betty - posted on 01/01/2010

Try your best not to ambush him with food. You could try making smoothies for him. Bananas have a strong flavor compared to other fruits and veggies so you could sneak in a few steamed carrots and apple slices easy. You could even die the smoothie blue with food coloring to keep him from freaking out over it's contents. As long as he takes his vitamins he will be fine for now.
Also, If you make soups the nutrients cook right into the broth and you can let him pick out the carrots and celery. Good luck.

Holly - posted on 01/01/2010

My daughter does not eat veggies either and I have talked to her doctor about it. He told me that she is healthy so not to worry about it, to give her a multi-vitamin a day to make up for what she doesn't get. She is a healthy 9 year old and has never liked veggies except when she was a baby. Her doctor said her taste will change as she grows and she may start liking them. She hasn't yet... But she still takes her vitamin every day. He said the Flinstones are the best.

JL - posted on 01/01/2010

I have a picky eater who did the same thing when she was 4..making herself throw up veggies and fruit. I bought one of those sneaky foods for kids recipe books and started steaming and broiling veggies and fruits and processing them. I would do this at the beginning of the month and then freeze in seperate baggies about a half of cup of each item. I would use them throughout the month in sauces, casseroles, desserts, and mac n cheese and such. She ate everything from broccoli to eggplant and had no clue because they were processed and snuck into the foods.



We had brownies made with processed blueberries and pink pancakes for breakfast that were pink from processed beets. Green eggs and ham from processed spinach. It worked great and as she got older we started offering some lighter veggies and fruits on the plate along side the foods that were full of processed veggies and fruits.

Richelle - posted on 01/01/2010

I actually posted a comment a few moments ago but being new to CoM I was afraid that I might be coming across as a solicitation rather than a solution... I welcome you to a new community that I have formed with some other moms called Zoe Moms where we educate and discuss ways we as moms can help our families get the nutrients their families need...

Amy - posted on 01/01/2010

My son is 4 1/2 and also very picky about vegetables, although he does eat a wide variety of fruits. It's frustrating because as a baby/toddler he ate everything and we were so pleased at the variety of foods he would eat happily. One of the moms talked about early exposure to a lot of foods, emphasizing veggies, etc. and we did all that. But still, one day he just stopped eating a lot of foods that had been staples for him, and it's been a battle ever since. I use the fruit juice that also has vegetables and he likes that. I also hide veggies anywhere I can - and don't just grate, puree as some others have said. Try pureed pumpkin in pancakes, pureed green vegetables in spaghetti sauce, put some in mini muffins or cookies, etc. I find that if I make muffins or quick bread with chocolate chips my son will eat them without even looking at them!

One other poster mentioned texture issues and raw veggies - my son does eat raw carrot and has been willing to try raw broccoli and even red pepper. He won't even consider cooked veggies for some reason. We keep offering and expecting him to try because he does need to expand his palate eventually, but I depend on the sneaky veggies to keep him healthy. Good luck! I'm right in the game with you!

Emily - posted on 01/01/2010

Hi Lori, I have not read through the other suggestions but maybe try V-8 Splash or making fruit smoothies.

Veronica - posted on 01/01/2010

Picky eaters are so difficult, I know...get a food processor and grind them into a pulp...add them to spaghetti sauce and other sauces he may like.

Emma - posted on 01/01/2010

Some kids just don't like veggies. You can look into get the fruit juice that contains the goodness of veg as well. And look into getting a vitamin supplement. I have 2 nephews, one DEVOURS veggies; the other gags on veggies so they ended up doing the supplement and fruit juice and he is going fine.

Jessica - posted on 01/01/2010

my son will not eat anything mushy like cooked veggies, spaghetti mashed potatoes or anything else that resembles a meal. its a texture thing not a taste thing he will automatically throw up. I have been able to successfully hide fruit/ veggie juice in other juice he likes, and in pizza or breads if cut up small enough! zuchinni bread goes for banana bread. some more info on what he does like could give a clearer picture on the situation.

Lyn - posted on 01/01/2010

It is very hard being a mum, isnt it? My son did the same thing from a very early age. I ended up finding out that he liked spaghetti bolognaise. So I used to grate all the vegies I could find and put them in the bolognaise sauce. They virtually dissolve in the sauce and I knew he was getting all the good stuff from the vegies. I even tried him on vegie pancakes, same deal with grating the vegies but putting them in a basic pancake savoury batter. I hope you find the right thing that works.

Beck - posted on 01/01/2010

When did your son stop eating his vegetables and fruit? Have you told him why he needs to eat certain vegetables/fruit and what may happen if he doesnt? Does your son drink juice? I once dealt with a fussy child who believed the coloured pasta in the vegetable tri colour packet, tasted yucky and deliberately dry reached after trying it, but then I told him to close his eyes and tell me which was the coloured pasta and which was the white pasta, if he got it correct I would personally pick out every peice of coloured pasta for him. I gave him three peices, one green, one green and one green!!! Before closing his eyes I put the white pasta on the fork, after he closed his eyes I switched, the first one was great! I did the exact same thing for the 2nd and third, they were all fine, after he had eaten these three, I said lets keep going, well when we finished his plate there was only white ones left, I told him he had just eaten the entire lot of green and orange pasta, he then realised they wernt so bad afterall, and I didnt have anything to left pick out!
If he has no other reason for disliking vegetables and fruit other then being fussy, make real fruit juice in the morning have him drink it and if he likes it, then show him how its made. Fruit bars are another option, cut then in small peices then place in lolly bag, and give them to him. For vegetables, blend cooked veggies till smooth, mix in with tomatoe sauce and let him add this to his meals (with no idea he is eating all his veggies). Does he eat mash potato? If so cook carrot and sweet potato together with the potato and mash all together, then pretend to add sauce (while his looking to the potato and pretend your mixing it in) then he wont realise the colour being different. Make spag bowl, and blend in any veggies that you can to the meat sauce , then serve with pasta. Or lastly scare him into eating them by telling him things like "your hair will fall out if you dont eat your veggies, your nails will break away, you wont be able to see well (if you dont eat your carrots), and you wont be able to play because you will end up having no energy from not eating your veggies.

Holly - posted on 01/01/2010

I don't know if you have tried any of the veggie chicken nuggets or hot dogs, etc. Personally, I haven't. It may be worth trying. Juice is never as good as the real thing, but if you can find one with no sugar added, I would use it. You may choose a vitamin supplement after consulting with his physician. Remember that sauces, such as spaghetti, contain vegetables. Never tell him exactly what he is eating if you can get around it. It isn't lying.

Kim - posted on 01/01/2010

You may have to start juicing your veggies (carrot/apple blend), to ensure he gets his veggies. I myself as a child had texture issues, so my mom introduced me to raw veggies, maybe that will work :-)

Lorraine - posted on 01/01/2010

hi i can understand what your going through and you say that you have tried hiding veggies, because i make lasagne and i grate carrots, mushrooms and zucchini and they never know. i do this with most of my mince recipes like meatballs & hamburgers if that doesn't work try giving sweet veggies since he likes sweet things like corn, sweet potatoes,carrots with honey. most kids like pasta so make your own tomato sauce grate all your veggies add tins of tomatoes and really cook it down till all the veggies are dissolved then add that with your meatballs or chicken & pasta then maybe add a few whole veggies just to keep trying him and put cheese through it then bake, if he picks them out you don't need to worry.you can try making his meals into pictures like faces and get them to eat the orange carrot teeth or corn try making it a fun time for them or if all else fails try deep frying most kids like chips so turn sweet potatoes into chips or carrots and make chicken nuggets out of chicken mince and what else more veggies and coat in crushed corn flakes, all rewards are good even with small steps so good luck with it all theres nothing worse when you can't get veggies into the kids us mum's feel bad for them but keep trying .

Lisa - posted on 01/01/2010

I'm sorry, I just realized you said veggies & fruit, so excuse my idea of giving him a variety of fruit. I would try supplementing him w/a whole food vitamin, they are made w/real fruits & veggies to get the vitamins & minerals found in them. You may want to check into any medical issues as he may have some sensitivites to certain textures or maybe something going on w/his swallowing, chewing, or keeping it down abilities. I have heard of some different things in this area, but it is too varied to know for sure. Talk to his pediatrician. Also, have you tried different ways of providing him the fruit or veggies, such as dried fruit or pureed veggies, fruit & yogurt combinations, I know there are different ways of doing things. Did he eat baby food fruit & veggies?

Lisa - posted on 01/01/2010

Wish I could help, but I have never had that problem. All 3 of my children eat their fruits & veggies without problems, of course they have some they don't like, but I ask them to try everything just to see, & sometimes they are surprised. I was very picky about how they were fed as babies, veggies before fruit, & their main foods through out the day were fruits & veggies. I didn't want my kids to be like me, I grew up on fast food, so I guess that's why it was my quest to make sure they had a variety of things. They enjoy trying new things. I don't believe in making kids eat something they don't like or making them finish everything I have given them. I think at this point in time the only thing you can do is to encourage him to try things, continue to give him a variety of things, & give him a variety of fruit. Maybe you could supplement w/a whole food vitamin to replace anything he is not getting. Hope someone has some great ideas for you:) Best wishes in 2010!

Brandy - posted on 01/01/2010

i have to a mops meeting n they made yummy desserts with vegis n it that tasted good like browines wth carrots shavings

Roseanna - posted on 01/01/2010

Have you tried a reward system? When I was 13 taking care of my younger sister and my 3 month old cousin. I found that giving my sister a reward for eating her veggies after dinner work. Like ice cream or a cookie. Some thing sweet that they like. It doesn't work so well now with my boyfriend who doesn't like veggies cuz he'll just get up and get his own treat. But I hope it'll work for my son when he get to the picky eater stage. Good luck hope it helps. And I hope some one ends up giving you some thing better then my post.