Suggestions for a picky eater

with my kids if they never ate anything, then I would leave it there for them telling them that if they did not eat their meals, then they would not get any treats at all.

my niece is worse she can just eat hotdogs for the whole week and won't get sick of it.when i was young, we werent given a choice. i remember, we're not allowed to leave the table without finishing our meal too.

I used to cut up carrot into the shape of flowers and my kids would eat them because they looked so pretty. I'd tell them green vegetables are spinach from Popeye's can and they could make them as strong as him. Then cauliflowers are the friends of carrot and they wanted to go into their stomach to play with the carrot they'd swallowed. Usually they obliged. I like to mix corn flour into minced meat to make it more tender. Perhaps you can try that. Anyway most kids will outgrow their picky habits when they're get more adventurous with food.

Honestly just stick with it. Toddlers are very disagreeable. ONe suggestion, have him help you make his own dinner. He may be more interested in trying something that he has created.. also, buy some food coloring, have him add food coloring to his food, maybe he might like to eat a purple hamburger? you never know until you try. Also, when making sweets, make things like pumpkin cookies, or add oatmeal to his chocolate chips cookies. If he likes crunchy, get him some carrots and ranch to dip it in. It's a hard age, but eventually he'll outgrow it, just keep offering healthy foods.

You simply have to stick to that old adage. Your child is testing his new found abilities. That is, of course, how to manipulate his surroundings. You won't be torturing him by letting him go hungry if he doesn't eat what you put on his plate. He'll eventually come around. You'll do more harm by feeding him things children typically like. Anything with saturated fat in it. Good luck and be strong.

hi onlyme123....my son is a picky eater too. try this, bread some chicken cutlets (use shake & bake, flour,whatever you'd like). Then pan fry or bake, whatever you prefer. After that, put it in a kaiser roll. Fry some veggies (tempura style)...hey wait a minute ...now i'm hungry. gotta go!

Don't push him. That'll just make him refuse harder. Also don't fix him any special foods. Teach him that all he's going to get to eat is on his plate. I always used to cringe when my step-granddaughter would refuse to eat meals. Her parents would let her down, and a few minutes later they'd feed her candy so that she wouldn't get hungry. Now at age 7 she eats absolutely NOTHING except sweets and is extremely underweight. Your son won't starve himself. When he discovers that he's going to have to go hungry if he doesn't eat what's given to him, he'll eat. And a few years in the future, when he's a teen eating you out of house and home, you'll wonder why you ever worried about him not eating.

Have to keep trying, if you let him have the control he will notice it and push that control envelope as far as he can.

I'm the same way My mother spoiled me rotten she never made me eat anything I didn't want to-Still to this day I don't eat cooked vegetables except for corn on the cobb (b/c it's crunchy) I'll eat them raw tho'. Maybe you could try that.

I know it may not be the best thing to do but my children love ranch dressing and ketchup. If they refuse to eat something I put a little on it and they are happy campers. Getting them to eat brocolli and carrots is more important to me that a little added fat that they probably need any way.

well motivation is everything... learn to tackle with his physche

This is a hard. Does the doctor say he is ok with the height and weight percentile? Sounds like your kid is trying to figure out what they like. Just keep giving him what he will eat and eventually he will venture out - maybe if he sees you guys and/or his friends trying something new then he will. Just be patient because before you know it he will be eating you out of house and home.

Try making the plates look funny and colorful, in patterns or interesting looking. Let him eat on his own. Tell him if he eats ex. spinach, he will be strong like his favorite character. All eating habits are created early, so every change will take some time. Also, try barganing a little. He's at an age when you can do that (ex. "if you eat your food, then you'll get..."). Good luck!

Hi there! It is tough when you have a child that is a picky eater. My kids are often picky and have food allergies, so I am some times at a loss for what to feed them. If he likes pasta, can you sneak veggies in his pasta sauce. I used to add jars of baby food vegies to my daughters sauce. She never knew it was there. You can also try veggie pasta like spinach, carrot, tomato etc. My daughter ate this without a problem. I added prego chunky garden sauce to it and she love it. You mentioned that he likes cruncy textures, can you bread some veggies and deep fry them or bake them. Zuccuni, carrots, califlower, brocoli, etc a fun dip. The organic section of my grocery store make veggie nuggets like chicken nuggets. Do you think he would try those? Does he like cake, cookies or bread? You can make a fun and healthy baked good like carrot or bran muffins with raisins and a fun icing like cream cheese. Oatmeal rasin cookies, blue berry muffins etc. Does he like peanut butter? If he likes it and is not allergic, then peanut butter has a lot of protein. Try soy nut butter and almond butter if you don't want to give him peanut butter. Add them to crakers or have him dip them in pretzels. Another crunchy food is corn chips. He can dip them in a mild salsa of you bean dip. Fill a taco shell with diced chicken nuggets and sneak in some veggies, beans or salsa Make his veggies into pictures or animals. For instance, cut up some carrots, brocoli and celery and make a face or statue out of them. Have a fun sauce to dip them in and he might just eat them. Sometime's his version of a fun sauce may not "go with the food item" but if he eats it... who cares. I know someone that dips everything in ketchup and ranch, no matter what it is. You could also give him pediasure to help make up the nutrients that he is missing. Hang in there... it is not easy!

When my mom goes out to eat, she always sends the food back.

Wow he does sound picky!lol I was alot like this when I was young but I came around. Im still kind of picky so I guess it never really go's away. Good luck with that.

That, has to be one of the toughest thing a parent have to go through. You mite have to give it some time. Make it interesting for him, also let him see you eat it.

I introduced brocolli and brussel sprouts in this way: brocolli as baby trees brussel sprouts as baby cabbage They can relate to babies and most small children love babies. All three of my girls love these two vegetables to this day. Good luck!