3 Year Old Very Picky Eater

Hi H.,
Both of my kids went through the same thing!! What worked for me was finding simple recipes that they could help in some way to prepare. I am a Pampered Chef consultant and would be happy to share recipes with you!! My kids are 2 and 5 and help in the kitchen a ton!! They probably have recipes for you too!!

S.
____@____.com

Well, you might want to talk to his doctor about vitamins, but a lot of toddlers go through phases where they only want to eat one thing all the time (mac n cheese or chicken nuggets for example) but if they're growing properly and getting enough vitamins its usually ok and they'll grow out of it.

Some suggestions:
1) I buy a veggie tray every week and we get it out while I am making dinner and we snack on it. My kids love anything with dip on it.
2) Quesadillas are good ways to hide veggies. We put Black beans inside with whatever meat we have left over and some veggies and cheese of course.
3) My kids love chicken legs!! We grill them. I think they like the idea that it is like it has it's own handle
4) I just keep putting it on their plate but I don't make them eat it and eventually they eat it. Though it takes you eating it too. I never make a different meal for my kids.
5) This summer strawberries are big with my kids especially since I let them spray the whipped cream on them which is a big treat

Well hope this helps.

Good luck
M.

I have an easy chicken nugget recipe that most kids love and you can sneak in veggies.
1 large can chicken breast
1 egg
1/2 cup or so of cracker crumbs (whatever kind you have)
1/2 cup ground or chopped veggies of your choice (I like broccoli or spinach)
Just mix together adding more cracker crumbs if needed to make mixture stick together. Form nuggets or patties and pan fry in a little oil or cooking spray or bake (both work well) until brown and crisp. You can also add cheese if you like.

My two year old does the same thing and my youngest sister did it too... its completely normal and dispite what even the doctors think your child will NOT starve himself. If he isnt getting something he needs he will eat it just fine. I think one out of every 3 kids does this... they just dont eat much or eat only certain things. My son eats anything you give him where my daughter will only eat certain items and I usually make her dinner special to get her to eat... Stick to hwta he DOES like and dont worry too much about giving him any variety for a while.... sometimes whats easiest for you is easiest for him too.

The older the get the more the realize there are options and the taste palet gets more sensitive, but if you want him to keep those healthy habits, I'd quit giving him option, i think its okay ocassionally, at lunch but ultamatley he needs to learn this is a battle he's going to lose, because you're the mommy and you're the boss and you have his best interest in mind. He'll eat when he's hungry and believe me he'll test you and he'll probaby throw a fit, he may even lose a little weight, but he'll get over it. One of the things that helped my son was letting him to cook with me, pouring or scooping, stirring with my help of course all the while saying, oh what a good job cooking, your making a delicious dinner, etc. Praise him and make him think it was his idea. Other things that are kinda fun to eat help too, don't underestimate, getting to DIP stuff, smillie faces, and edamame, some goods are just fun to eat, pizza can be home made cheap and easy. Rachel Ray actually has some healthy kid friendly meal that are fun and easy for kids. If you can't find any though I can send you some. Stick to you guns you can do it. Wouldn't it be great if they just did what we told them?? YES MOMMY!

Don't worry H.. My 3 yr old is doing the exact same thing. What he is eating is fine. At least he's eating, right? He'll grow out of it. Be happy that he craves things that are a snap to make. My mom told me that I basically grew up on cereal and toast because she couldn't get me to eat anything else. I think I turned out okay... Just as long as he is eating. That's the important factor here.

Good Luck,
K.

Good Morning H., it's normal for kids to get picky. Going though it also. Corbin choose Nachos yesterday for his lunchable. He had 5 chips said Im done Nana.
Like your little guy he ate everything in sight, but now it's PBJ, Nuggets, fish sticks, cereal, pancakes, once in a while pizza, fries with his sause (ketcup or dressing). He might eat corn on the cob once in a while, but the other veggies he loved are going by the wayside now.
He does take a multi vitamin daily, drinks alot of milk, water and sugar free juice. NO Kool-aide or soda pop. (has soda pop when they have pizza only)

We are not to worried about it and don't make a big deal about it or force him to eat it. He doesn't get goodies when he doesn't eat his meals though. If he eats More then half of his meal he can have 2 cookies after nap time.
Figured when he gets hungry he can have what was made for him. He is still in the 95% in his age group.

Good Luck H. its a stage most kids travel though, just makes mom's and gr momma crazy at times..lol
K. Nana of 5

We recently had the same problem with my 2 year old daughter. We stayed home for a whole weekend and decided that we would eat all meals together and if she wouldn't try what we were eating then she didn't eat. We didn't give any snacks and I think that made all the difference. If she took a bite of everything and still didn't want anything we would fix her a little pbj, but she liked almost everything she tried and the fact that she was hungry helped.
You are going to hear a lot of whining and tantrums so I always try things at home first.

I agree with some of the posters below: give him other options than his favorite foods (perhaps even first).

One of the neatest things I learned when working with kids is to have them take 'no-thank-you' bites of food they were unsure of or didn't want. Most of the time (though not all of the time) one 'no-thank-you' bite turned into many and before they knew it, the food they didn't like was gone!

Some of the deceptive recipes sound like a good idea - I would be careful to not let these recipes become the norm. Your son will be exposed to 'regular' fruits/veggies/meat in the everyday-world, where they aren't hidden as purees or in cookies. Plus - you may find you are in the kitchen making special meals too often. As a single Mommy - I'm sure you already have enough on your plate! (no pun intended) Just my humble opinion :)

J

Hi H. - I am going through the exact same thing with my almost 3 year old. He used to love veggies, fish, tofu even..... now, it's bread, cheese, yogurt & milk... and the occasional chicken nugget. I bought the book, Sneaky Chef, and she has some good ideas. One of my favorites is to put baby food carrots (or puree your own)into mac & cheese or spread it onto bread inside a grilled cheese sandwich. I made chocolate cookies that had spinach & blueberry puree inside..... you would think that would just taste nasty, but they were great! My husband & I loved them. Good luck to us all!

Here are two great websites:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/T030800.asp "Feeding Toddlers: 17 Tips for Pleasing the Picky Eater" It has good ideas for introducing new, healthy foods to toddlers.

and
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T040200.asp "ABC's of Teaching Nutrition to Kids" I thought this one was especially good because it teaches parents how to make learning about healthy food fun for kids. It talks about how to educate kids so that they make healthy choices on their own later on and so they know which kinds of food are healthy and why. The only thing I didn't agree with was that he suggested rewards, but everything else was pretty good advice. The article talks about referring to "grow" foods for kids.

He is old enough to help you plan meals, like "Do you want peas or greenbeans with dinner tonight?" If he helps you pick out veggies at the grocery store, he may be more willing to eat them. You can also give him different kinds of fresh fruits and veggies at the store to hold while he is sitting in the cart. Talk about what color they are, what they feel like, what he thinks might be inside, etc. Help him get interested in them. Also let him help you wash and prepare the food at home.

I have worked in child care for many years and I have never seen a kid in child care refuse the meal and ask for something else. This is because at day care, they know there are no other options. It sounds like you don't act as a short order cook, which is good. If he learns that what you are having for dinner are his only options, then he can either eat what you are having, or eat it later if he isn't hungry for it at dinner time. Just make sure he isn't getting "snack" food after dinner if he doesn't eat. This would teach him that he can just wait til after dinner to get something different to eat.

Also make sure he isn't eating too big of a snack in the late afternoon. If he is really hungry at dinner time, he may be more willing to try new things (you know that feeling when you're so hungry you'd be willing to eat almost anything? I'm not saying to starve him, or course, just make sure he doesn't ruin his appetite with a late snack). Also remember it can take more than 12 time of introducing a new food before some kids will get used to it. You could make a rule that everyone has to try one bite of each food on the plate, and if he doesn't like it, he doesn't have to eat any more. But at least he might try it.

It sounds like you don't, but try not to bribe him into eating his dinner with desert or treats. This would tell him that you have to eat the bad stuff to get the good stuff, and may put a negative association with eating healthy food.

Hope this helps a little

HI, H.. Being a day care provider, I have seen many types of eaters. Your son is probably going through a phase where he just wants his favorite things. I would recommend still presenting all the foods you are offering for a meal, and let him choose what to eat. Do not make a separate meal of only foods he will eat, or he will only want those foods. He will eat what he wants, and move on. I bet he will try some foods if they are presented matter of factly. I also recommend not making a big deal about what your son eats. It could become a control issue. Keep calm about it, and just have a standing rule that you all eat the same thing. Try to put one thing on his plate you think he will eat, but always give him foods to try. Good Luck!

I bought this book called Disceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld, which shows you have to make vegtable and fruit purees and add them to meals. There are several books our there like it. I have used a lot of the recipes with my 2 1/2 and 4 year and they didn't know the differece. My husband has even enjoyed them. I still put veggies on their plate but not so concerned if they don't eat them. Good luck.

Hi H.,

My daughter is 3 yo and is going through a similar phase. She doesn't like meat, but she loves veggies. Here's something that worked with her. To get her to eat meat, I grill or bake chicken strips and let her dip it in marinara sauce. Also, instead of feeding her the processed chicken nuggets, I just get the chicken tenders from the store, blend some oatmeal in a food processor and add it to some breadcrumbs and season the chicken, and bread and bake the strips. That way I at least know she's getting something healthy in it. My daughter generally doesn't like sauces such as gravy or anything creamy, but she loves to dip in marinara. It works great to get her to eat meat.

As for veggies, I cook soups with pasta, beans, peas and carrots, frozen cut-up spinach, and petite diced tomatoes in a chicken broth. She loves it and it's a great way to get all her veggies and protein from the beans in without adding meat since she won't eat meat.

I also heard of the recipe books out there that call for blending up veggies and hiding them in the dishes your child normally eats. I haven't had to resort to that method yet, but you may want to check it out at your local bookstore if you're at your wits end.

Good luck! And I'm sure your son will grow up to eat his veggies. This is just a phase.

For one, milk, cheese and yogurt all have lots of protein - no worries there if he is eating that. They are also loaded with protein. I would ditch the chicken nuggets. my son would only eat things that looked like chicken nuggets for awhile, but they are the junk food that you said you prohibit. so, stop getting those and fish sticks and all that processed junk that really isn't any better for them than french fries and potatoe chips. have you tried raisins? my kids eat that. my son is still very picky, but at least what he is picking at is good for him. also, if he likes grilled cheese try hiding a squash puree in there. i spread it like butter on the bread and then when the cheese melts they cannot tell. the only real junk food my kids are given is the occasional macaroni and cheese. i hide squash or sweet potatoe puree in there so i don't feel nearly as bad. also, i just buy chicken tenders and use the forman grill to make chicken strips. my kids eat that. your son will start trying things when he is hungry. No child ever died of starvation because they refused food. offer what is good and he will start eating it. does he like eggs? you can hide cauliflower puree in there. french toast? hide a little pumpkin puree in there. if you need more of those types of ideas, i use the book "Deceptively Delicious" by Seinfeld's wife (sorry I cannot remember her name). I used it to learn to puree and tried some recipes. after that, I just found it easier to find a puree that was the same color and try to hide it. I am not always successful, but when I am it is totally worth it and we incorporate that into the lunch routine. Good luck, but from what I can see he isn't that terrible of an eater if you are not counting the lack of veggies. You didn't mention fruit either, but I assumed that there are at least a few you can get in him. :)

There is a wonderful cookbook that teaches you how to hid veggies and other nutrients in children's favorite food. It is called "Deceptively Delicious" It is a little bit of work, you have to puree veggies, then add them to foods your child normallt eats like mac n cheese, pizza, chicken nuggets, etc. I feel veggies are impotant and I also think that if they are hidden in his food his palate will grow to like them. I disagree with letting children dictate what they will eat. Most of what I make my children like, if they do not they have to eat half, then they may have a bowl of cereal later if they are still hungry. I refuse to make two different meals, and I will not make only what they like. There are times when I am making chicken and I might leave the sauce off theirs (if I know they will not like it) I always try to have a side that I know they like.
Hang in there and keep encouraging him to eat better, it will benefit him his whole life.

H., I know it is hard to watch your son eat practically nothing. My youngest son ate everything until he was about 13 months old and for the next two years ate only about four things: cheese pizza, macaroni and cheese, cereal, and bread! What a diet! I kept trying to introduce foods, but often with little to no success. He was happy, healthy and quite active so my doctor reassured me that eventually his eating habits would expand. He is now four and eats a variety of foods although he still has food jags once in awhile. Trust your child. He will eat when he is hungry. Best of luck! Kati

Have you heard of "Deceptively Delicious"? Its a new way to cook food for toddlers. You process vegetables/ freeze them and then add them to whatever your making. Kids don't realize they are actually eating healthy.

For example, you add spinach to brownies. They taste very good and yet they are somewhat healthy!