2 1/2 Likes Spaghetti...

I think it is mostly a phase. My son (he'll be 3 in September)hardly eats, ever. There have been many nights right before bed where he eats an egg scrambled with shredded cheese and a Jennie-O hotdog. But, he does consistently gain weight (even if he is in the lower percentiles). His doctor told us to feed him whatever he wants, whenever he wants it.

Luckily he loves fruit and most veggies. We don't give him candy or most other sweets. He gets Teddy Grahams or Circus Cookies daily (grandparents care for him while we work, and they give him milk and "cookies" before naptime and periodically throughout the day).

Good luck!

I can't say that we are thru the other side, but I can say, WE ARE IN IT! My son just turned 3 last month and we have been in the same struggle for about a year. I will tell you that me 4 yr old is a great eater, loves to try new food and is growing and happy and healthy. My 3 yr old is just starting to add food back in to his diet. He was down to applesauce, yogurt, peanut butter and pizza. We talked about how his big brother started trying new foods when he was 3 and we talked it up how big boys need food to grow and be strong like daddy. We also made a chart for new food. Every time he tries a new food he gets a sticker on his chart and once he gets 7 he gets a special surprise and then when he fills the whole chart he gets something a little bigger. The chart has helped some, but what has helped the most is actually his big brother. He is very encouraging and helpful. He really amazes me sometimes. He was the one who convinced my younger son to try his first new food in 6 months. Don't get discouraged, it is a stage and he will grow out of it.

My son used to be a very good eater, until he went to childcare at a friend's house, and her daughter is picky. He hasn't been there since Christmas, so it's very slowly getting better... But--one of his faves is spaghetti, and here's how we're handling it--and it's working. We vary the spaghetti. Spaghetti, in our house, is any kind of pasta (shells, spirals, whatever) covered in jarred pasta sauce with cooked up hamburger. We can ALSO use a can of cream of celery soup instead of tomato based sauce; we tell him it's like spaghetti but with a creamy sauce. He buys it. We have meatball sandwiches--just like spaghetti, but on a bun! We have lasagna--just like spaghetti, but in a pan, with cheese--and you like cheese! And so forth. We've even pulled that with a spicy red sauce that's Indian and has lots of spinach in it that you serve over rice, and now we're to the point where he'll eat chicken curry--it too has sauce, and the chicken is just like the meat, and the rice is the spaghetti! Anyway--we started with just deviating a little, but I got to the point where i was sick of pb and J and mac and cheese and pizza and spaghetti being what our family ate. It's getting better now, and it cracks me up how many things he'll "buy" as being "just like spaghetti!" (Oh--he's almost 5.)

You are not the only one. My son is 16 months, and he got his 2 yr molars at 13 months [he was a very early teether with 6 teeth before he was even 6 months old] and he has been living off of broccoli, raisins, mandarin oranges, cheese, cheerios and crackers for a couple of months now. I keep trying other things and sometimes he will eat them, but most of the time not. I think that's just how it goes...they find the things they like and that is all they want. My son is like that even with books. I spent a lot of time visiting garage sales and thrift stores to make a big collection of childrens books for him but he only wants me to read him the same two books over and over again. It sounds like you are doing fine, and good for you for hiding other stuff in there! Sounds like he is getting what he needs. I would just keep trying. Eventually he will grow out of it. It might also help to make the food into fun shapes, or have him help you make dinner, or sometimes what I do is say something is "yucky" and make a face, and my son automatically sticks it in his mouth [reverse psychology]. It is frustrating but you're doing fine. Hang in there

Hi J.! I read through your request and I think you are handling everything wonderfully! This truly will pass! My son was exactly the same and now eats his veggies without complaint! It sometimes is a LONG phase but it sounds like you are getting him PLENTY of nutrition! Good job!

Dont' make seperate meals... this will only encourage pickiness. Make a meal, serve it, and call it a day. He'll eat if he's hungry and if his teeth hurt, give him some teething tablets or orajel, or even tylenol. But don't be a short order cook, or you will breed his pickiness and be one forever.

When you make a meal, put one food on the plate that he likes, and hten serve the rest of the meal. For my oldest who tried to be picky for a while, I would serve him a piece of toast with every meal, but would serve him whatever we were eating. For a bout a week he ate only toast at meals, but he finally sucked it up and ate meals when he realized he was hungry and I wasn't caving in. He's 7 now and a great eater. My youngest is like Mikey, he'll eat anything. LOL!

Just keep serving, and don't make his food special.

i went thru this with my son...his was pizza an pancakes-so what i finally did was make up a few batches of each-portion an freeze-take out for his meals...make regular meals for the family-kinda make a production out of how good your food is..pretty soon-he no longer has control of the whole meal thing...he,ll want what your having..i would cut the sweets pronto...good luck

You're doing great! Kids are quirky and you just have to "try" to laugh about it.

My son is 20 months old and has been getting his two year molars since January, so I definitely sympathize with you there! He used to eat just about any fruit or veggie I put on his try and now we're down to green beans, grapes and applesauce. I just keep trying fresh, cool melons now that they're coming into season and sometimes he'll gnaw on them and sometimes he hands them back with an accusatory look! My husband handed him a carrot chip the other day and he actually loved it because it was something for his little teeth to crunch on. I watched him carefully and he only ate one, but hopefully it's an option now!

Good luck with your little one - he'll be just fine!

This is a very common thing, keep offering other foods.
My son is now 6 and we have been dealing with this issue too.

It will get better! I must admit I myself was a very picky eater - hot dogs, spaghetti, grilled cheese sandwichs, peanut butter sandwiches. I think I ate a pb sandwich every day of elementary school. :)
I also have two teenage boys - one was very picky and the other ate anything. My picky one is now a good eater and my eat anything kid is a junk food junky. One thing that helped my kids expand their food choices a bit when younger was eating at other people's homes - they were just more willing to try things for other people. Be patient, it will get better. Those little tastebuds are different and more sensitive. They say the more familiar a food is, the more likely they will eat it. Sounds like you are doing a great job sneaking healthy food into what he'll eat. Try whole wheat spaghetti noodles - much healthier than regular pasta.

I thought it was funny that someone mentioned not making seperate meals :) My husband and I had that same thought. We have one child that will eat anything (just as long as you keep the food coming!) The other is my 5 year old. He wont eat anything except milk. We stood strong for a while. If he did not eat what was put in front of him then he did not eat at all! So He did not eat at all. After eating only a pear and some milk over a week's time I gave in. I can't not feed my child! So I try to get him to try things. He loves mac and cheese so I say if you take 2 bites of veggies I will make you mac and cheese. This seems to work. He is very healthy. My mother tells me I was the same way. I now love to eat everything and anything so I think it is just something he will have to grow out of.