Fear of Eating Foods That Were Once Alive in 6 Year Old

There are a lot of foods that contain the protein he needs. If he won't eat meat, then he will have to eat the other things in order to have a balanced diet. He is old enough to understand that he is getting a compromise and that he has to do his part too. If he won't work with you, time out will work until he does.

I wonder if the beef or pork upsets his stomach and he knows that and that's why he freaks out. My friend gets sick when she eats meat so she became a vegetarian a number of years ago. Maybe he's fine with poultry as those are the things that you mentioned that he would eat. I would try giving him a break from the beef and pork and possibly all meat for awhile and see if his tummy was bothering him when he ate it. I also have to fight my 5 yr old dd on eating protein as she is a carb fanatic, though when she's in a mood, she can eat all the meat she can handle. So, for her, it's not what I mentioned for you.

Morning Star makes veggie corndogs. My kids are meateaters but I wanted to try to sneak in more healthy options for quick meals. They love them! They are a little expensive and a little hard to find. I have found them at Jewel.

There are some wonderful meat free options at the grocery. I went mostly vegetarian for a few years and while my son refused to eat tofu, he happily scarfed down Morning Star Farms chicken nuggets and corn dogs, and tacos and spaghetti sauce made with Boca crumbles, and Boca burgers. Yeah, he just didn't like the "blocks" of tofu - but he didn't mind it mixed with ricotta and made into lasagna. :) not that I told him it was in there.

He has considered himself a picky eater since he was about 7 - deciding he will only eat certain things - he did out grow most of this - at 15 he has his preferences, but eats most things I prepare. But, he is not an adventurous eater - and I don't think he ever will be.

Your son, if he likes the meatless options of chicken nuggets, say, may be able to transition to real chicken - they taste mostly the same - just a different texture.

He could just be a natural vegetarian - no harm to it - just more confusion in the kitchen for you though.

Try beans and brown rice for him, dairy products, nuts and dark green veggies. A good vegetarian cook book would help you make meatless meals that the whole family will enjoy.

Whatever you do, don't punish him for not trying a food presented at the dinner table. That makes meal times a power struggle and just a yucky experience for all involved. My Mom would make me sit at the table until I tried something - wow, not fun - and several times I literally got sick...Yes, I am projecting my inner child here - but, honestly - just make sure you have a few healthy options on the table that he will eat and let him eat that. Don't force the meats if he doesn't want them - he can get the right proteins in other ways. Forcing will make him resist them more.

Good Luck
God Bless

Why don't you speak to your pediatrician about having him on a mostly vegetarian diet. Not that you are going to have to turn into a short order cook, but offering more vegetarian meal options would be healthier for your entire family and it would stop the fighting over eating meat.
I eat meat now, but I was vegetarian on and off for many years since I was about 10. Many children around your son's age develop a deep empathy for animals and when they start understanding that what they eat was once a cute little chicken or piglet... well lets just say that if we all had to personally raise and slaughter our animals for meat, there would be a lot more vegetarians.
This is something he may outgrow, or maybe not.
Good luck.

My 16 yr old daughter at 6 years old, was a very brave eater and would not eat anything that had been alive. I had to find new ways of making sure she got protein. She did not grow out of it and now speaks of becoming vegan. I told her she needs to read a few books and learn to make her own food. ;o)

I admit to trying to tell her that fish was not meat at one point. She didn't believe me.

I agree that it is probably a phase. Perhaps he is learning/becoming more aware of the fact that chicken is, well, chicken! A trip to a farm, reading a book, even watching a show where the characters are animals could have him thinking about eating his "friends." I wouldn't make a big deal of it. There are plenty of ways to get significant protein and additional important nutrients other than eating meat.

There are also many meat substitutes that you could try if you are concerned about making a separate meal for him or not sharing in the same experiences as his friends. Chik'n nuggets & patties, veggie dogs, veggie corn dogs (morningstar farms and trader joe's are the best!), veggie burgers, meatless tacos and fajitas with a ground beef substitute. All of these might either open him up to new opportunities or make him miss what he once had! And of course, there are an extraordinary array of wonderful vegetarian meals that don't involve "faking" it with a different type of processed food. (Even substitutes are processed.) You probably enjoy them already - pastas, cheese & bean burritos, margherita pizza, eggplant parmesan, stir-fry, hearty vegetable soup, falafels, and more!

I'm in the opposite boat - my son and I are vegetarians and I know one day he will venture out and try real meat!

I'm a pretty laid-back mom, so bear that in mind. I would not force a child to eat anything. We have lots of eating disorder issues in our family and I just don't think food should be a battle ground. At younger ages, my son would eat plain tofu. Maybe your son would eat it, too, particularly if it's dressed up. Your son is eating peanut butter and cheese. Does he eat eggs? Those are all good sources of protein. You can check out others, too. There's nothing wrong with being a vegetarian as long as he gets the protein he needs and your doctor says he's growing.

Protein is not hard to get. If he doesn't like meat, Good! It's bad! My son likes meat, and his dad MAKES SURE he eats it (eye roll) but my daughter hates it and won't eat it. But she gets tons of protein. Nuts, yogurt, eggs, cheese, avocados, beans hummus, fish sticks, various veggie burgers and soy dogs, etc. Meat is just hormones, fat and chemicals (unless you get special pure meat) added to the protein it contains that you don't have to contend with in healthier protein foods. Don't force it.

My best friend of 20 years is 46 years old (looks way younger and is health fanatic) and has been a strict vegetarian since I've known her. She just had a massive check up and blood work done, and all of her levels are SUPERIOR. The doctor said most vegetarians test way higher in screenings for general health. Protein abounds, you don't need meat.

Please, please, please don't force him to eat meat. I have issues eating meat. My issue is the texture. Most meats don't feel right in my mouth (if that makes any sense) and it drives me nuts and makes me nauseous. My parents used to force me to eat meat and I hated it!

If you're worried about him eating protein start adding tofu or soy to his salads. Give him spinach in his salads and research what veggies are good so he still has a well rounded diet.

If it is a phase, he'll grow out of it. If it's not, and he seriously has an issue with the meat then he'll have a healthy start as a vegetarian.

*hugs*

If by "protein" you mean meat, he doesn't need it. He needs lots of whole grains and veggies. There is plenty of protein in milk, nuts (peanut butter), and legumes. The hot dogs and hamburgers probably do more harm than good. You're lucky he doesn't want the meat. That's all my kids want, and I can't get them to eat any veggies.

I've got several friends who have simply never liked or wanted to eat meat. They tell me this preference goes back to their childhoods. There is nothing wrong with that, especially now that there are so many good alternatives available everywhere.

I would NOT force your son to eat food that frightens or revolts him. My daughter refused to eat meat from certain animals from an early age, still refuses to eat them, and is a healthy and happy adult.

I agree with others who say that it might be a good idea for you to try vegetarian alternatives to protein other than meat. Nuts and beans are great and very healthy sources of protein that he could eat; my kids love eating black beans in burritos and refried beans (if you make them from scratch, they are very good). My daughter is this way; she refuses to eat anything that is meat--no chicken, no steak, nothing except for occasionally eating a hot dog or chicken nuggets (I guess junk food is junk food). She is also very picky, and the more I try to force her to eat something, the more she doesn't want to and mealtimes become very unpleasant. So for me, as long as she's eating protein of some kind (for example she will eat peanut butter, eggs, or black beans) I don't worry about it at all. Good luck!

Don't force him to eat a food he is panicing over. If it's just few meat products, that's OK. My daughter is an animal lover. She never really liked meat as a small child, and at 7 she saw a billboard with a cute puppy and a cute piglet that said, "why love one and eat the other" She couldn't reconcile that in her heart and mind, and she asked me to be supportive of her choice. It has been 2 years and she is still a vegetarian. It was not a phase. Even as plenty of kids at her school think of her choice as odd, (make fun of her choosing the veggie entree at school over the meat one) she is proud to be principled over peer pressured. Of course, she has her Dad as a role model vegetarian, and we already have and continue to serve a healthy variety of vegetarian foods. My other daughter and I are not vegetarians. But we all eat plenty of healthy foods and respect the fact that not everyone wants to eat meat, and it's also OK that many people do. It's a personal choice. Just keep offering him plenty of the other proteins he does like to eat. He will be fine, I just wouldn't make too big a deal about it.

my son went thru a period where he wasn't eating meat because he said he was eating flesh. it grossed him out. he outgrew it. but if your son doesn't, let him eat his salad and veggies. give him some nuts or other sources of protein and let it go. if you make a big deal about it, he could become more anxious.

My son is almost four and does not eat meat, his choice not ours. Every once in a great while he will have a bite or two, but we don’t’ force him and I don’t care if he chooses not to eat meat. I want him to join the dinner table and enjoy sitting with us and talking. I don’t focus on the food, I focus on the good time we are having. I always want me son to feel he has a place at our table. We don’t make him have to take a bite, it’s there if wants to try something new, he can leave it alone, feel it, smell it, lick it and if he does not have to try it if he doesn’t want to. I was a professionally nanny for twenty years and found that will all my different charges, they would end up trying more things if the new that didn’t have to swallow the things they didn’t like. I want dinnertime to be a place where my child, (and when I was a nanny, my charges), could come sit and feel included instead of miserably. Dinner should be a time where family sit and talk about their day, not argue over trying something (but that is just my two cents).
Why not focus on the foods he loves? Try to incorporate those in a meal for the whole family. We make peanut butter noodles, my son loves those, and then in different bowls we have chicken and stir-fry veggies. I make homemade pizza and my son gets black beans and cheese. When we have pasta I have a bowl of plain noodles and then I have a sauce bowl and a meat bowl. Hummus is great and chick peas and great too warmed up or even toasted in the oven. If you son loves salads so much why not have a little salad bar using ramekins with different items in them, black beans, chick peas, different nuts, etc. Cottage cheese. At every meal I make sure my son has protein, a fruit, a veggie and a carb, plus his milk. Sometimes for dinner my son will have a brown rice cake with a wedge of creamy swiss spread on top, then a bowl of yogurt with strawberry, carrot sticks and a glass of milk. Sometimes he will eat two rice cakes and he almost always has a second bowl of yogurt. My son’s pediatrician says he is one healthy little boy. I’m not worried if he never eats meat, so many people don’t and now days there are so many websites, cookbooks, options in the grocery store I know I will never run out of ideas for meal planning. Plus, my hubby and I are learning new ways to eat too!

Please read this, about food pickiness in kids:
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Recipes/extremely-picky-e...

I have a picky eating son. Ever since he was 6 months old and on solids.

He is 4 almost 5 now... and NATURALLY, he has, expanded his palate.
We NEVER force him to eat or make him eat or use rewards or punishments.
He is a Grazer... and he eats according to his body's needs. In other words, he eats if he is full, or hungry.
As it should be.
That is the healthy way to eat.
My son does not eat, for emotional reasons... ie: boredom or to please people.

I am not a short order cook, nor do I make separate meals for him. I know, that whatever I cook, there will be something that he will eat.
He does not starve.
I also know, he is healthy, because I do not have 'junk' in the house nor feed that to him. So whatever he does eat or craves, I know it is healthy. I do not have to, 'censor' what he eats.

He is healthy, strong, and grows like a weed and is always in the upper 97+ percentiles for growth and is developmentally ahead in many areas.

We do not worry, about his "picky" eating.
He is, well adjusted, overall.

Now for myself as a child: I did not like eating meat... because it gave me a migraine. Because, of the preservatives in it. Now, the ONLY meat I could eat, and liked, was Steak. My parents knew that, so they often got me steak. They knew... me and what foods, suited my system.
I grew out of it, and by the time I was older, I could eat practically anything. But I was also one, that naturally... veered toward fruits and vegetables. My parents... were GLAD. They never forced me to be a different kind of eater.
My sibling on the other hand, would only eat, junk, food. To my parents, frustration.

I also, do not 'expect'... my son, to eat JUST like me.
He is, himself. Not me.
He eats, if hungry or full.
That is, the most healthy and well balanced.

He's eating everything except meat? I'd get him some vitamins that will supplement any protein he isn't getting or any other nutrients. Maybe he is a natural born vegetarian. I wouldn't force him to eat something that is meat with that belief in him (your title is why I said that). He may grow out of it or may not, could be a guilt for eating an animal or it could be a texture thing. I would just give it time (years) and let him eat what he'll eat.

Why curb it? He is actually making very healthy choices, and probably not even knowing it. Why not take this as an opportunity to teach him about being a vegetarian and vegan? I would respect his choice, even encourage it by educating him about how healthy it is and make some changes in your meal planning around him. It's a healthier choice for all of you, frankly. Also, maybe once he sees his choice is being acknowledged and respected, he may not be so stubborn about it. I'd be thrilled if my daughter wanted to stop eating meat. Please don't make him sit in time-out for making a healthy choice for himself or not eating a hot dog (even if that may not be his intention). Yikes.

I'm no vegetarian but why does he have to eat meat? Nuts, dairy and quinoa are protein. The breading is bad for him and it sounds like he prefers healthy food. Load that kid up on veggies and make him beans and brown rice for protein. Sounds like we should all eat more like him. BTW: Quinoa is a tiny grain you cook up much like rice and it is the only grain that is a complete protein. There are lots of recipes that feature it and it tastes best when made with chicken stock instead of water.

I would trade places with you in a heartbeat. I can barely get my son to eat anything much less vegetables. If he is getting protien from othe foods then I wouldn't be concerned about it. The texture of meat can be a little strange. Not such a bad thing having one more vegetarian in the world:)

Maybe he doesn't like the nexture, or it could be a deeper problem too, my husband has a cousin in her 50's who still won't eat "anything that had a momma" lol So she eats lots of good for you things too, fruits, veggies, and fake meat too.

20 years ago this month, our 4 year old (out of nowhere) said he wasn't eating dead animals any more. We figured this would run it's course, and the truth is he is still a vegetarian, never missed any school, has been very healthy, now enjoys cooking. There are very few meats to choose from and so,so many fruits, vegetables,grains, etc. Around the age of 10 he was concerned about eggs, but then learn unfertilized they were never alive. He also eats cheese, but never liked milk. Sometimes I think a young person knows what suits them. So as long as a person eats a balanced diet, which is quite easy to do with out "dead animals", there will be no harm nutritionally. There are proteins in non-animal foods. Good eating to you all.

Hi, are you worried about protein? there are tons of ways for your son to eat protein without meat. Other nut butters, since he eats peanut butter, try almond butter, sunflower butter. I add hemp protein powder to my sons pasta along with some parmesan, you can add protein powder to any baked
goods batters....pancakes, muffins etc. There are many vegetarian sources of protein....he knows what his body needs. Good luck!!!