Fussy Eaters (merged)

Buttonmoons

My DD is like that, she is still fussy with food but lately she has at least been trying new things, garlic bread, carrots and steak pie, about fainted when I saw her tucking in! But then weeks upon end she will barely eat and exsist of yoghurt and cereal. I've stopped worrying, she isn't a big eater, more of a snacker, so as long as she has some fruit and milk from something cereal/yoghurt then I just don't worry.

One of my mums friends told me not to panic, he lived off boil in the bag beef till he was 10 - eww!

BitterAndTwisted

One of the things it's easy to forget is that really small children only need quite small portions, so loading up the plate can be a tad daunting for them. Another thing is that at the age 2 or 3 they have probably quite recently discovered that they can control their environment, so controlling what and when they eat is attractive to them so giving them some choice about what constitutes a meal could help to get your blood-pressure down and try to stop fretting about it.

I found that just getting them to sit at table even if they're not eating can encourage them to try a little bit more than always letting them down when they say they've had enough of whatever it is that you're serving. I even allowed a toy or two if it it meant they'd sit nicely with everyone else but I did always insist that they had at least one fork or spoonful of everything on the plate even if it meant a pudding-or-fruit-bribe afterwards. I always gave them full-cream milk with meals, never juice or anything else.

clare1076

Hi

i wonder if anyone can give me some advice, i have a ds whose 5 and a dd whose 2, at the moment i'm really struggling to get them to eat their breakfast and evening meals, lunchtime is ok as ds has a packed lunch for school and eats this and dd will eat her lunch.

Breakfast is a big concern for me as my ds goes to school after eating probably only one small pancake, i've tried toast, porridge, weetabix you name it i've tried it.

Last night was awful as they didn't eat a thing and i panic thinking they'll be hungry all night. People keep saying leave them they'll eat when their hungry and i know i should be it is becoming a concern especially with my dd she's the worst and generally won't eat a thing.

Short of force feeding them which i would never do i am really at my wits end any advice would be a great help.

Thanks Clare

Kaz2904

Honestly, they will eat when they're hungry!
Try to stick at it and just keep offering healthy meals. Does your DS eat the fruit he's given at snack time?

My DS swings from eating like a sparrow to eating tons of food- (more than his dad!). He's as thin as a rake but he likes and eats most food- just not much of it!

BitterAndTwisted

The more you worry and fret the more your children believe they have control over you. In your place I'd serve healthy meals, insist the children sit at table even if they choose not to eat and make them wait until everyone else has finished eating before they are allowed down. No pudding or treat unless something of the main course is eaten, even if it's only a bite or two of everything on the plate. A drink of milk with every meal. No snacks or treats at any time, except at or with meals.

bestpud

I'm sorry I don't have advice about eating as such.

They will eat eventually, but could I suggest you don't go down that road unless you feel you can see it through?

You seem very anxious about it, and they won't have missed that!

If you start out giving them nothing and then give in after a day or so, it will be far harder to make changes later.

irishesman

We went through a phase like this with our youngest. I ended up laying down the law to her and telling her that she could eat what she wanted (from the offered meal), but would get nothing until the next meal time. The food was on the table for a set period (ie as long as it took the rest of the family to eat) and then it would be taken away.

This all occured over the summer holiday, so we could regulate what she ate and when. Mealtime were at set times and that was the only source of food for her, ie no buscuits, chocolate etc.

We broke the habbit it just under a week and now she will eat most things (not pea's) and will now tell us that 'its good to try new foods'.

JBD

I agree about withdrawing treats such as biscuits, cakes etc. One of my children was an extremely fussy eater and would only eat tiny amounts. I used to just give him the things that I knew he would eat. eg he liked the little pots of fromage frais [petit danone?] and 1 of those would actually do him for lunch. Also he would drink a lot of milk and eat things like bananas. So I would just try and give him as many healthy foods as possible and not pressurize him to eat any more. I think you have to remember that some people just don't like food very much and don't want or need to eat as much as other people. Both my mother and my MIL were like this, they both ate tiny amounts and they both did all right on it.

knithappens

irishesman wrote: »

We went through a phase like this with our youngest. I ended up laying down the law to her and telling her that she could eat what she wanted (from the offered meal), but would get nothing until the next meal time. The food was on the table for a set period (ie as long as it took the rest of the family to eat) and then it would be taken away.

This all occured over the summer holiday, so we could regulate what she ate and when. Mealtime were at set times and that was the only source of food for her, ie no buscuits, chocolate etc.

We broke the habbit it just under a week and now she will eat most things (not pea's) and will now tell us that 'its good to try new foods'.

I have done this and it worked, the key is also not to make a bi issue o meal times, just let them know this is it, and stick to the plan, treats can be added later down the line when they have a good routine, my son now knows , no dinner no desert/snack later so he always eats his dinner now

apples1

Just pretend (very convincingly) that you don't mind. If they ask for snacks say "sorry sweetheart I can't do snacks unless you have eaten your last meal" in a tone of voice that is matter of fact and you would if you could BUT don't ever give them.

At mealtimes give a small portion of what ever you are serving them and then chatter about this and that and if they say they don't want it say ok no problem, you can leave the table at X time or when everyone has finished (whatever your house rules are) so they will be sitting looking at it for just a good few minutes at least!. Then pop it in the bin/compost/dog and move on. Don't waiver AT ALL and DO give pudding/ treat etc straight after the meal if they eat it up so the association is immediate.

Also a friend round for tea (who you know eats well) is a great idea. Clearly works at lunch time!

Bet you a large chocolate cake they'll be eating within a few weeks if you keep that up without fail. Good luck