Fed Up With Picky Kids

moments_of_sanity

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

If they are toddlers it is usually down to texture, both of my children had the same meals as us from the weaning stage, I just pureed it down so it had only small lumps in.

Babies and toddlers also love finger foods, just don't worry about the mess that ensues :rotfl:

I used to give mine carrot sticks to munch on when they got in from school rather than fruit because carrots were cheaper, they still had fruit but usually that was for dessert if I hadn't made one

BB-I completely agree with you about texture. My eldest eats pretty much any type of food but can't eat eggs or cabbage as it makes her gag and she is nearly 19 so not little by any stretch of the imagination. My youngest one turned vegetarian at 14 as she can't stand the texture/feeling of meat in her mouth, she is now 17 and eats very well.

We kept trying for years with the eggs/cabbage/meat for the kids but they never got to enjoy them so we don't worry about it now as there are many other foods they do like.

notanewuser

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

If they are toddlers it is usually down to texture, both of my children had the same meals as us from the weaning stage, I just pureed it down so it had only small lumps in.

Babies and toddlers also love finger foods, just don't worry about the mess that ensues :rotfl:

I used to give mine carrot sticks to munch on when they got in from school rather than fruit because carrots were cheaper, they still had fruit but usually that was for dessert if I hadn't made one

There's no need to mash or pur!e anything. We just gave DD what we ate. She's a brilliant eater (loves steak, hot curries, veg etc). She just won't eat anything mashed!

moments_of_sanity

notanewuser wrote: »

There's no need to mash or pur!e anything. We just gave DD what we ate. She's a brilliant eater (loves steak, hot curries, veg etc). She just won't eat anything mashed!

But all children are different, some prefer pur!ed food and some don't. It's trial and error to see what works and what doesn't.

[Deleted User]

In my experience all children are different, some of them are dustbins and you can't fill them up and some of them are delicate and picky feeders and will eat like little birds. None of them are wrong, just being themselves, individuals with thier own preferences in life when it comes to food. I never forced things on my girls that they really didn't like, there were always plenty of alternatives to whatever it is they rejected. I always asked them to try a taste of new things, some they liked some they didn't and we never had mealtime wars. They still grew up into healthy and sturdy human beings with no health problems, plenty of energy and zip and open minds. I saw friends try to force thier little ones to eat things they hated, have the mealtime battles, the tears and tantrums and still have the food on the table for the next days meals and never once did I see a child co-operate and eat it. The best way to get the small members of the family to eat a balanced diet is to lead from the front and let them see you eating it first. Make sure to show your enjoyment of the food and don't let them have any until they ask to try it, when that happens you've won the war withour having to fight even a small battle. Make them feel grown up about it and away you go.......

mummyyof5

I have 5 children ..all brought up to try all foods...apart from my 3 boys who have severe food allergies they will eat anything...my almost 5 year old GD brought up by us exactly the same as my own children will not touch red meat..potatoes in any form except chips,sandwiches or any veg...she lives on pasta.fruit, curry and rice and very little else...I have tried everything but she just refuses totally ...on the couple of times I tried to force her she was just sick so never again ..Im dreading the school meals coming in as having looked at the menu ..I swear she will starve..and no eating with her friends will not encourage her to try new things...tried that too x

blobbydoodaah

I know it is frustrating when you have spent ages cooking only to have kids looking at it with disgust!! A good idea is to make big batches of things(soup/chilli/bolognese etc) then freeze portions of it to simply heat up and try again-persistance really is the key!!!

themarsbargirl

The clearing the plate issue-like many who were forced to clear thir plates growing up I learnt to override the 'full up' feeling and ate way past satiety. I was on the heavier side of normal weight and as an adult am obese, in a big way because after years of being forced to continue eating past satiety I now no longer get or recognize the feeling of being full.

Children naturally choose sweet things because their taste buds are so much more sensitive than adults, to them vegetables can taste incredibly bitter, mild spices very hot etc. I couldn't eat anything even remotely spicey until i was about 18-even KFC felt like it burned my mouth.

My advice, having grown up being forced to clear my plate, sit at the table for hours and having any uneaten dinner re-heated and put back in front of me until i ate it, would be to be a bit flexible. If your kids refuse a meal then don't offer an alternative but don't force them to eat it either. Don't try and force them to clear their plate, if they say that they are full then accept that they are full.

Incidently, as an adult, I am not overly fussy now and will try new thingas but i get incredibly nervous when eating around other people and start struggling to swallow food again.