Introducing a toddler to new foods

Northern78

Sulkisu I never thought of that. Might be worth giving it a go. He does like raw carrot so maybe I could slice some raw pepper and add that. Once he's eaten it raw he might give cooked a go!

GobbledyGook

We put all the vegetables in bowls and help ourselves at mealtimes.

When he was a toddler if I put broccoli on DS's plate he looked at me like I was trying to force feed him arsenic but put it in a bowl and he spots his Dad and two sister's having a bit and he's scooping a bit onto his plate faster than anything!

It does mean that sometimes one child will have a bundle of broccoli, one a load of cabbage and one all carrots, but it gets some veg into them without it being a battle.

It also helps it not be an issue on the days when one isn't particularly hungry and equally on days where one is starving. Their Dad used to be really annoying for expecting them to eat the same amount every single day, but we don't (roasting hot today so I've not eaten half as much as I would on a freezing cold day) - putting it out in bowls makes it easier to keep an eye on without it being 'X hasn't eaten their dinner'.

Northern78

Gobbledygook I think I'm guilty of the same as your kids dad!! Some days DS will eat nonstop, constantly hungry. Other days I gave him something to eat and he pushes it round the plate and then has had enough. Crikey I thought you were meant to have learnt it all in the first few months but it seems im still on a steep learning curve. Baby 2 is due in November too so hopefully I can get my head round it all by then!

GobbledyGook

Northern78 wrote: »

Gobbledygook I think I'm guilty of the same as your kids dad!! Some days DS will eat nonstop, constantly hungry. Other days I gave him something to eat and he pushes it round the plate and then has had enough. Crikey I thought you were meant to have learnt it all in the first few months but it seems im still on a steep learning curve. Baby 2 is due in November too so hopefully I can get my head round it all by then!

Ooft no, gosh my DD1 is 10 and I've still found myself worrying over food this week because she has a brace in and so her mouth hurts. I've done nothing but fret over if she's had enough, is it the right stuff and she's big enough to say "I like that, don't like that..."

I think it's easy to forget that they have hungry days and not so hungry days just like us. It's like I used to worry when DD1 had a day where she didn't seem to be interested in anything and I'd have the thermometer out, and the baby books and then my Nana said to me 'Do you not have the odd day where you just can't be bothered with anything?' and I realised that I was expected her to be 3 meals, 1 bottle, sleep at x time every single day even though I wasn't like that myself!

Northern78

Yeah that's me down to a tee! I guess I just need to stop stressing and appreciate even though he's little he's still a person in his own right.

So meal times will be veg and food he likes with one new introduction. If he eats it, he eats it, if not we'll see what tomorrow brings.

God I'm such a stress head!

Thanks again people!!

notanewuser

I don't ever put food on DD (now 3.5)'s plate. All food goes in the middle and we help ourselves. She's always loved veg (i'm veggie). She often tried something because she sees us eating it. I have no plan. From 2.5 to about 3.25 she was fussier but has recently been very keen to try new things, always because she wants to try mine. When she likes it she can help herself to it. There are probably 2 or 3 new things a day that she's trying (and liking). I cook almost everything with her too, which helps. And she can chop veg and pick at it too.

Eg - she wouldn't touch in toasted bread for 2 years. Now she'll eat it plain. She wouldn't touch mashed or jacket potatoes - she loves jacket spuds now (within the last week).

I don't coerce her into eating or make her clear her plate. I believe that to be counter productive.

Chill out, let your little one choose what they want to eat. This isn't something that needs so much control.

kafkathecat

A couple of things that might be worth a try. If ds was hungry before dinner I gave him a small plate of salad to pick at, everything tastes better when you are hungry. If he left his lunch or dinner I would leave it on the table so that he could go back to it later if he wanted to but obviously not if it was something he hated. I would also get him to try new things by letting him spit it out if he didn't like it.
I know 2 and 3 are not ideal but I was determined not to make food an issue. DS now eats almost anything (and is a huge meat eater despite being brought up vegetarian) so maybe something there worked.

GreenQueen

My DD is 8, and she still sometimes has "little girl salad". I prepare a big bowl of dressed salad for everyone else, and she has a small side bowl with the things she likes - in her case LOTS of cucumber sticks, tomato, strips of red pepper, black olives. It goes next to her plate before the rest of the meal is served, and I tell her to wait until everything else is ready - the dish is always at least half empty by the time the main bit of the meal arrives!

GQ