I'm sort of piggybacking on Jean's request, and there were some great responses so I thought I'd see if I could pick your brains about a similar issue.
My 9 month-old son doesn't much care for baby food, either. He likes the ACT of self-feeding, but won't eat ANYTHING except grains (Cheerios, biscuits, toast, etc.) I try to keep those healthy (like whole grain, etc.), but I am worried he's turning into a carb addict. He will not let me feed him anything except YoBaby, so at least we get that every day. I've tried putting all sorts of fruits and veggies in front of him, but he won't try them--even things he used to like, like bananas. So I'm trying to feel better by other suggestions that at this point he's still getting nutrition from formula, but he drinks so much less than he used to I worry that it's not enough. We keep trying (knowing it can take a while before they actually like something), but I thought I'd see if others have had the same experience. Could it be a phase? How do you deal with "carb loaders?" What do you do when self-feeding seems to take 6 years and you have to leave to take your other child to school? Sorry...lots of questions here. :) Thanks in advance!
Have you tried letting him hold the banana by himself? At this age my son wouldn't eat one cut up but totally loved biting into it whole.
Have you tried frozen peas? My kids all LOVED them. Straight out of the freezer. They feel SO good on those teething gums, they just grind on them and you can see how good it feels on their faces :o) Kind of like when they chew on a teething ring.
J.
Mom to 4, going on 5
One thing that worked for us was to crush up cheerio's and roll the 'mushy' foodsi n them. Cut up banana's and roll them in crushed cheerio's. This works well with all fruits, and my youngest even liked cooked veggies with cheerio's on them. It helped him not only to pick them up easier, but he liked the taste, and it was a little rougher texture. Something to try.
But I wouldn't orry about it, kids go through food jags all the time, and it will pass, jsut remember to keep offering the healthy foods to him, and he'll start taking them again.
Just keep offering the fruits and veggies and offer them first before anything else. Phases will come and go and certain kids will have a hard time with certain textures and temperatures of food. For example, my 4 yo refuses any foods with sauces (he doesn't even like condiments on his food). He won't eat cooked vegies but he will chow them down if they are still frozen. Just keep trying different things.
Hi,
I always pureed spinach or other greens in the food processor and mixed them with a whole grain pancake mix and a little honey to offset the bitterness of greens. (Not so necessary with spinach or butter lettuce). I always said, "Green pancakes!" and she ate them. Which is great, because I still do this 2 years later and know that I can get her to eat greens. I don't like to be "deceptive" rather I say, "Spinach pancakes" and my daughter hears the pancakes part and will eat them. She still won't eat the whole spinach, but I think this is due to texture. Thanks to the other moms below, great ideas! I agree to the part that it is a phase and just keep offering new things, even if they don't always eat or try, someday they will.
M.
The first year of life all they NEED is formula or breastmilk he may be teething and enjoy these "carbs" because they're harder texture and feel good on his gums..
They get all their nutrients from milk and donot need veggies or fruits or even the carbs it's all practice foods.
When he's older more around a year old just worry that you give him healthy choices and varaties you can't make them like veggies or fruits. I know a 9mo. old who eats potato chips, chili cheese dogs, candy, pop you name it YES it drives me crazy and and I cringe when I see it -mom is a stupid teenager but anyways comapared to that baby your baby is right on track and a heck of alot healthier.
I also have noticed when parents freak out and over worry about what their children eat or force certain foods they're kids pick up on this and start power battles and become very picky eaters... My daughter is 6.5 and I've NEVER gotten worked up about her diet I just don't buy junk and she has a huge variety of things to eat and she is a awesome eater and loves fruit more than anything. I don't totally outlaw junk and candy either and when she does get a treat she doesn't go nuts or anything either. I knew a mom who never took her child to McDonalds and I kept saying wait til she get's McDonalds when she's out with a friends parents or something she will go nuts.
My DS went through a phase where he wouldn't eat or touch any type of "wet" food. He refused all fruits, veggies, foods with sauces, etc. It lasted probably a month or so, and then he went back to his usual eating habits, which means he eats everything in sight if he can get his hands on it. He was right about 9 months when he went through that phase.
As for self-feeding taking forever and needing to leave... Can you start the meal a little earlier? I would do that if its possible. Otherwise your little one will eventually realize that you need to get going after lunch. Maybe offer a healthy snack when you get back from picking up your older child just in case the little one didn't get filled up before.
My boy (now 4yrs) refused all carbs for several months right before toddlerhood. He went back to them. Babies don't carb-load. As long as your little guy is active, he is burning everything up. You could try changing it up with the waffles that have "fruit" in them or toast with jam/preserves or melt some cheese on the toast (just for taste to get him used to diff. flavors), bagels, pasta with a sauce (red, white).
I'm an elementary teacher... job market is tough right now... good luck and enjoy the time with your little ones.
I just bought a cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld called "Deceptively Delicious". It's all about sneaking pureed veggies into your child's food. I know at 9 months, your son can't eat everything, but maybe pancakes or muffins, etc. Obviously this won't solve the problem, but at least your son will be getting all the good stuff he needs. Good luck!
