Okay, so I know that every child is different and I can't expect my twins to eat like my 4-year old did, BUT...
I'm trying to get my twins to eat meat and they just won't do it. I don't necessarily mind that they don't eat it nutrition-wise, but it would certainly make it easier on me to not have to make different meals for the twins. I throw away a lot of food, and I'm getting tired of it. It seems like they eat bread every single meal because it's the only thing with "substance" that will help fill them up until the next meal or snack time. My 4-year old was eating everything that we did by this time, so the "expectation" has been set. Any ideas?? Here's what I have tried:
Chicken nuggests, fish, chicken, turkey dogs. They will put one piece in their mouths and then spit it out immediately as if they don't like the texture, even though they used to eat chicken cut up into small pieces when they were first self-feeding. I have given all of these things to them several times in case one time they will eat it, as they say not to give up.
Any suggestions or advice on how you got through this would be great.
Thanks, moms!
my little guy likes frozen heat & serve sausage (don't ask me why, I think it's wierd, too!), and also State Farm corn dogs. He eats those when I do. :) Cheese sticks are great, too. Good luck!
I don't have advice, but I sure know what you are going through. I remember my now 8 year old did this around this age range, and my 16 month old daughter is now doing it as well. If it makes you feel better, now my son has turned into a carnivore and will eat any meat in front of him - go figure! I get sick as well with how much food I throw away (or gets thrown away by her on the floor). She has turned into a very picky eater. I also keep yogurt on stand by and mix it with a mutilvitamin (in powder form I got at a health food store) as my go to if she refuses to eat what I serve. I usually don't make different meals for the kids unless we are eating something that my toddler cannot do yet (like salad). I just keep presenting different items and hope that enough exposure will encourage her to try new things. My pediatrician said at this age there is very little nutritional need, so not to worry.
Good luck. This is a hard time. Just keep trying.
D.
My 5 year old has NEVER eaten meat. He eats what the rest of us eat minus meat plus a piece of cheese toast or peanut butter toast. He also likes beans and cottage cheese that has been in the blender (smooth as pudding).
He has since been diagnosed with hypersensory deficit disorder - he feels things, hears sounds, and senses texture more acutely than normal.
S.
I put Salt Lick BBQ sauce on bits of chicken and my 11 mo old twins scarf that up. I also cut up lunch meat (roast beef, turkey) They are all about texture. They do spit meat out if they can't chew it. I failed with hot dogs. Mine don't have teeth though. Try some different sauces.
My 14 mo isn't convinced by meat, either, but it usually works out okay since my husband and I only eat poultry and fish (no pork or beef) anyway, for health reasons (high cholestorol). We actually make vegetarian meals about 1/2 the time, and my dd CHOWS. She loves lentil, garbanzo beans, and tofu. With the garbanzos and tofu, you don't actually have to cook them, so on days we have chicken, we'll just open a can of beans and give her some, or give her a slice or two of tofu straight out of the container. I figure, in the long run, it's probably healthier for her, and she won't have to go through the major diet change my husband and I did when we found out about his cholestorol! GL!
Maybe try it with ketchup dip or ranch dip. Have you tried any red meats like ground beef? I think you are doing the right thing by continually offering it to them. My son 13 months old will eat the meat but is now spitting out all veggies and fruits so maybe combined we would have one healthy eating kid??? Good luck and keep pressing on.
Been there! My twins are now 3 and Ive still got one thats kind of picky but the other eats practically anything now. My guys were the same way with meat. The first meat they actually started eating was turkey and ham deli meat. We cut it up into smaller pieces and they started eating it finally when they were about two. Their favorite is rotisserie(sp?)chicken. They could probably eat the whole chicken themselves! They arent too big on anything like chicken nuggets though...still wont eat those. They dont like anything breaded. Now if I could just get my 7 year old to eat rotisserie chicken instead of nuggets! : )
My son went through that stage for a long time as a toddler. He would eat chicken nuggets (homemade and premade) though.
I would just make sure that if I fixed something I didn't think he would eat, I had another source or protien in that meal -- beans, eggs, yougart, etc.
Like others have mentioned dipping sauces can be the key to getting a toddler to eat anything. My son was known to dip green beans in ranch dressing and/or ketchup. Even grapes and apples! YUCK! But whatever got him to eat was fine by me.
I always thought that someone should put serious nutrients into ketchup since so many kids eat it on everything.
Good Luck!
I suggest the gerber grad. meat sticks.
If that does not work, try putting the very thin sliced meat into the microwave until it is SLIGHTLY dry (but not tough/hard). Then cut it into strips with kitchen scissors. This can change the texture of it (makes it not 'slimy').
Another texture reliever is to put the meat on bread or between crackers. Sometimes they will realize it's there and only eat the bread, but it may take a few bites before they reject it.
Good luck!
P. <><
Just continue to offer the same foods you prepare for the rest of the family and keep yogurt on hand to make up for the protein they need from the meats. Cheese is good, too. It takes a 4 ounce container of yogurt (I buy the Yoplait Kids because it is thicker like a custard) to equal a serving of meat for them...also, an ounce of cheese. If you offer them cheese food you'll have to give them two ounces to equal a serving of meat.
