Trying to Get My Toddlers to Eats Vegetables and Protein

I have required the kids to take 3 large bites before they can say they don't like something. By that time they just about ate it anyway. I still have one picky eater but she just goes without sometimes. It's very rare that she won't eat a reasonable amount anyway anymore.

My pediatrician told me to go Betty Crocker on the little tike. I just recently tried this...I mixed in broccoli, cabbage & carrot bits (Fresh) into some brownie mix - a lot of them and she eats the brownies gone. I know brownies are not the best choice but muffins, pancakes etc. would work and for my first try it was successful. She also said to mix in frozen spinach into strawberry smoothies or whatever you little one likes. I am still in the test phase myself - good luck.

I found the book from Jessica Seinfeld called "Deceptively Delicious" to be very helpful. Good luck!

well, have you tried just the vegies first of course a reasonable amount. then when they eat that offer something else they like, like a reward, "no Joey you may not have the cheese till you eat your peas." it may take a couple days of being firm and consistant. I have had seven children and a few times if they would not eat what was offered they were washed up and gotten down with no snacking till next meal when I offered the same menu again. they do catch on, they also know our week moments, also you will need to have the support of the rest of the family for your sanity not theirs. I also began teaching them the scripture verse that "God made all foods good for us to eat" You may find they like raw vegies over cooked or frosen cooked over canned. experiment...make sure they see you eating it too! lead by example. don't forget they will try and imatate each other so perhaps sitting them further appart so they won't play off the other may help. don't compare! Praise even the smallest progress. State the boundaries and stick to it , remember your the one in charge and God gave you the privelge and position, don't get buffaloed! Life does get better, pray with them at meals that also sets value in their little minds that eating is important. approach protein the same way, remember it comes in many ways, like peanut butter at lunch, scrambled eggs at breakfast, tuna sandwiches, I use to cover my sons food in catsup then he would eat it, my oldest daughter liked everything in applesause for a while. there are some good cold cereals that are full of protein also, plus even small amouts of milk has protein, so everything helps, but still at meal time especially start small and work up, if they are eating well other times of the day a few missed meals won't hurt them, just remember if they don't eat what is offered then they don't get!

Children live up to the expectations of their parents and other older children around. I always acted like everyone eats vegetables and that kids are no different. My son has always eaten everything. By trying to cover them with cheese, etc. you're acting like it's common for your kids to hate them.. They know that you expect that they dont' like them, so they don't. Humans are designed to eat vegetables, it's part of our natural diet. I suggest putting them on the plate every day and acting like they're just expected to eat them. Don't say anything (other than maybe "everyone eats vegetables because they're healthy), eat yours with no expression and they'll eventually catch on that it's the thing to do. We're social creatures and we want to do with society expects of us.

Just to prove this.. I went to China in 2003 and asked a local woman if she knew ANYONE that didn't eat vegetables and she said "No, of course EVERYONE eats vegetables". She couldn't think of one person that didn't like them, that makes it totally societal. They just expect that their kids will eat whats given to them, so they do.

My son has always eaten everything I gave him (kale, beets, salad, spinach, etc).. I did take special care to never act like it's special that he eats them. I also have asked my close friends to NEVER comment on the fact that he eats all his veggies. I say try it, it might take a while to un-do what you've done, but it will work. :)

Also, I always give my son what ever I'm eating for dinner. I personally don't believe in feeding children special "kid" foods (I don't know if you're doing this or not), but I think it causes an expectation that adult foods are icky for kids.

This is all great advice about getting picky eaters to eat the good stuff! One other thing to do is make the food look really interesting...create a "mountain" of mashed potatoes with broccoli "trees" or make faces on their plates. They might actually go for it!

About restlessness at the table: My husband figured out an awesome way to get our 2 year old to eat. Lots of intriguing games at the table! We play "I Spy" or "A to Z" (that's where we pick a theme and start listing out things in the alphabet [example: theme Aquarium, A for Angelfish, B for Blowfish] - usually by mom and dad, but they listen fascinated!) or "What animal sounds like" or "Shape Finding" (in the room) and the best game to get them to take a bite is "Finger Man" where he uses his fingers to run around the table and do acrobatics or funny things like taking a drink of his water, etc. My son loved Finger Man so much that we could say "Take a bite, and Finger Man will come back!!"

Two year olds are so busy learning they could care less about eating. So if it's a fun activity, you are bettering your odds that they will eat!

Hope that helps!
D.

I haven't bought it yet but check out Jessica Seinfeld's book. She purees dfferent vegetables to sneak them into her childrens' everyday foods. I'm buying it soon, sounds great!

There's a great new book out by Jessica Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld's wife) called "Deceptively Delicious". She puree's vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and sweet potatoes and puts the puree into her recipes. The food is great and you can't tell the purees have been added. She was on Oprah with a doctor who was saying this is a great idea and you are still getting the vitamin and fiber and all the other good stuff the vegetable provide. She did say that she offers whole vegetables with meals so that her kids will learn good eating habits, but it doesn't have to be a battle of wills anymore. Hope this helps. My little guy is 2 and he loves the recipes, as does my husband- I don't tell him I put the purees in and he doesn't know the difference. Good luck.

blend cooked vegetables into pancake batter and make pancakes...jerry seinfeld's wife also has a cook book for this problem.

I have this issue also, here are somethings I do. Protien powder can mix into almost anything, smoothies, pancakes etc. pureed veggies can be added to almost anything as well. Meatloaf especially, also spegetti sauce. If you puree it they cant pick it out, and usually arent even aware its there. according to my pediatrician a muiltivitamin will be fine until the diverify on their own. As frustrating as it is to throw food away its very important to still offer that food, with no pressure. Often they decide to try it on their own. It sounds like you really have your hands full! Hang in there, they do grow up. My favorite saying "this too shall pass..." unfortunenlty so does all cute baby stuff so be sure and concentrate on all the blessings and miracles in your children. They are so special.

My daughter is a little older--3, but one thing that really helped was getting her involved in cooking. I would let her pick the veggies out of the fridge, then she helped me prepare them. It made her feel like a big girl and as a result, she wanted to eat like a big girl :) Good luck!

Hi J.. I have 2 year old twins as well (1/20/06, identical boys). My boys used to be great veggie eaters as well (begging for broccoli) and now they are super picky too. Part of it for us is that they have been sick a lot of this winter and they just don't eat well when they don't feel well or are stuffed up. We just have to be patient through the sickness and then usually they are better for a while. We are just in the middle of having to really be strong on mealtime boundaries. I go through great care to give them homemade food that is nutritous. When they don't want to eat what is in front of them and they are asking for something else, we don't give in and we say "I'm sorry if you don't want to eat your dinner, but there isn't anything else coming." They have gone to bed or nap a few times withough eating anything but they are fine and they are not going to starve. If we start to go down the road of trying to please them all the time, we will lose our minds. They will eventually get the point that they need to eat what is on their plate if they are truly hungry. I think this is all part of the difficulty of having 2 year olds. We find it difficult to communicate with them like you would an older child so natural consequenses are the only way to get through to them right now. Hang in there and don't give up on giving them the healthy stuff.

My little girl who is 3 now, went through almost a one year long phase of complete refusal to eat vegetables. Since she didn't like meat and my son didn't like beans, I was at a loss as to how to nourish them! My solution was to mix up a smoothie every day. I stocked up on whatever fruit was on sale that week at the grocery store, then chopped it up and stuck it in the freezer. Each day, I would toss a variety of frozen fruits in the blender (bananas, canteloupe, berries, peaches, etc.) combined with a few veggies (carrots, spinach, zuchinni, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, green beans, etc.). The trick I found was to start with only a few veggies and gradually get my kids used to the taste before adding more. (The color in berries hides the green of veggies.) Milk or juice can be used as the liquid. Adding in good quality, yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, or protein powders all boost nutrition. My kids thought a milk shake every day was a fabulous treat and never suspected hidden nutrition! Now, their palate for veggies has increased and they willingly eat vegetables as well as drink smoothies that they now realize contain them. Good luck! (One other tip--some kids don't like frozen drinks; if this is the case use fruits at room temperature. Also, you can vary the consistency from juice-like to sorbet for variety.)

Hi J.,
Go to your grocery store and get fruit flavored tofu to make fruit smoothies.Put different veges (carrots, tiny yellow squash, baby zucchini) in you blender puree them with a little juice or milk and add a banana they'll never know. Good luck.
K.

I've heard that it is good to institute a "no thank you" bite at all meals. Your child has to take one bite of everything but can say no thank you and not have to eat any more. That way they continue trying new things and eventually start enjoying different flavors without having to push food on them. Good luck!

I'm eagerly awaiting suggestions. My 7 yr old has never liked fruits or vegetables and chooses proteins, and was several years old before he would even eat bread. My doctor said just keep offering a variety and it would even out...but it never has. My husband purees green beans and other vegetables and puts them in casseroles, but that's about the only way he gets vegetables (though he will eat salad, go figure).

Check out Jerry Seinfelds wifes book. I can't remember the name or her name I briefly saw it on T.V. It teaches you how to incorporate fruits in veggies in everyday cooking by using purees.

kids can't pick around pureed vegetables!!
I just got a cookbook that deals w/ the whole vegetable resistance movement of children: the title is "Deceptively Delicious," by Jessica Seinfeld. Didn't realize she was Jerry Seinfeld's wife until I got the book home, but it has GREAT tips & tricks & recipies that are easier than you think. Tip for mac & cheese: add pureed butternut squash!
I have the same issue w/ my 2 year old: she used to LOVE broccoli, but now won't touch it or anything green, except peas. On occasion she'll eat mild cheddar, and yet she loves hummus. This cookbook has helped me feel like a "better" mom, now that she gets her veggies mixed in such a way she doesn't notice/doesn't mind. Phew!

The squirminess at the table is normal...my 7 year old still does it! Try puree veggies in your food...or shredded...I have put shredded zuchini in my spaghetti, soups, etc and it ocoks down so they don't even know it is there..also, I make fruit smoothies...with yogurt, and toss in some veggie powder. You can buy this at health food stores, or even at costco. They have some packets at Costco that are a drink mix of veggies that is super good for you...you will find it in the vitamin section. It is ok by itself but much better blended in a smoothie. Also, when your girls get a little older, cutting their foods into fun shapes and letting them make stuff with it..like a smiley face (english muffin with cheese, some corn and whatever else to decorate...or make a veggie pizza. I firmly believe that starting them early is best, before they get the "eeewww...it is green" complex. My kids are 7, 4, and 2, and they all eat some veggies willingly, some better than others. They love broccoli and cauliflower (with mayonaisse, cheese, or ranch dressing on it), carrots are eaten if htey are sliced in small wedges wtih dip, or with apples and peanut butter. You might also try carrot slaw with raisins and pineapple in it (sweet but healthy)....but mostly, at age 2, puree is good. I used to puree pears or apples and mix them with cooked sweet potato or carrot....hope some of this helps. J.

Toddlers naturally go thru picky stages...remember their bellies are very small ..so their portions don't have to be large...Once my kids say they are done, I encourage them to take 2 bites of veg, 2 bites of protein and they can't have desert until they do...we have fruit and yogurt or granola and vanilla ice cream for desert...they take the two bites to get the desert... bribing is not always a great thing but they will grow into different foods, dont worry. Making it fun with dipn sauce is helpfull too. my girls ask for the white sauce and red sauce at dinner.

Hi J.,
I puree vegetables and mix them in with my recipes to get my children their daily servings. Carrots into spaghetti sauce, cauliflower into scrambled eggs are two really easy ones. I also tried pita pizza with spinach puree -- they didn't fall for that so well, but I loved it! I have also learned that, if I keep making veggies part of the meal, they will try - and, if I am lucky - eat them once in a while.

And, I know what you mean about our moms --- my mom is delusional about her child rearing experience as well. After two children, I have learned to find humor in her "lala" perspective to my trials and tribulations!

Good luck!

hey J.! i am also a mom of twins and they are just starting to get crazy at dinner time (they're one!) and i have a 3 year old who still won't sit still during dinner. i think some kids just can't contain their energy long enough. the first thing is i don't give her more food than i know she'll be able to finish before she wants to move. (i always plan on giving her a string cheese or yogurt for snack after dinner.)we do the whole positive reinforcement thing and that seems to work. "oh wow! look at mia sitting and eating her dinner so well." and sometimes we mention punishment. "i see mia must be tired because she is not listening. it must be bedtime!" that works really well.

as far as eating their veggies, my kids eat pretty well but i bought the cookbook from jessica seinfeld called, "deceptively delicious." i got it at costco for much cheaper than the bookstores. anyway, i made chicken nuggets that had broccoli in them and the kids ate them up! i made tacos with tomato disguised in the sauce and my son, who HATES tomatoes actually ate the tacos. most of the recipes sound pretty great and she adds things like flaxseed meal that is so good for our kids. and she mentions pureed meats for the non-meat eater kids. there are even yummy desserts that have fruit or veggies in them!

i must admit my 10 year old is the only one who really sat still and i think it was because he was the only one...he couldn't get away with as much! :) hope this helps!

K.

Hi, J.:

I can only imagine that having twins would be more like six, or eight single kids.....It's an amazing feat to raise two at once and go to school.

I am the mother of an eight year old who chooses to eat her vegetables first because she knows they're good for her, (and I think she actually likes them more than she wants to admit.) This is what I know about getting kids to eat healthy foods and what worked for us:

Most kids I know are very picky about food at 2. Kids that age also tend to have unevenly regulated hunger- they'll eat everything in sight one day and nothing (or only their very most favorite food) for the day or two after that. So in assessing your sons' nutrition, consider everything they eat in several days or a week instead of just one day. It might make you feel a lot better about what they do eat! You might also want to have a nurse or dietician evaluate a careful record of what they eat in a week, to see if their nutrition really is as bad as you think (chances are it's already better than you think it is)

I have only a few simple rules about eating at my house, which is that she must eat one bite of everything that is served, Also to get a second serving of something (ex:noodles) you have to eat a sizable (about 1/4 cup of most foods) portion of your vegetables and protein, and there is only one small serving of processed sugar or juice allowed per day. And I don't generally do short order cooking- what I choose to prepare is what's offered. period. Other than that it's up to my daughter what she eats. I am very careful to serve a produce and protein at every meal, usually with a whole grain, and to limit the amount of simple carbohydrates (white bread, juices, any processed sugar)that even come into my home. That's it...serve a variety of healthy foods, and sooner or later your kiddos will eat it.

Some other things that I think really helped us around eating well:
I serve a lot of Chard, which is a leafy green a lot of people aren't familiar with that doesn't have the bitter taste of spinach.

smoothies are really easy and delicious, and you can hide all sorts of supplements or high-vitamin foods in there. My daughter will actually drink a smoothie with wheat grass...Make your own smoothies though, or ask about the ingredients at the smoothie shop to make sure it's real fruit and yogurt, not processed sugar. Pumpkin seeds are very high iron and can be ground in the food processor and added to the smoothie.

It's helpful to do some experimenting with a lot of different salad dressings and other food sauces and flavors...we found my daughter really loves basil and ginger, palak paneer, pakoras and pad thai, also yellow squashes, especially spaghetti squash, which is very easy to bake in the oven and has a very fun stringy (spaghetti-like) texture. It is a great idea to serve foods that have everything cooked together and flavorful, but you can go way beyond macncheese (though I personally love it as a comfort food once in a while) consider spinach lasagna or stews and soups w/vegetables, quiche or vegetable omlette or scramble.

best wishes,
-L.

I have been having this problem also. Now I make purees and mix them into everything. try the deceptively delicious cookbook by Jessica Senifeld. it is really great. good luck!

I have a 4 year old that is the same way. He used to eat ANYTHING, now he's picky and it is always a huge struggle to get him to sit and eat. My son will eat raw veggies- carrots, cucumber, broccoli, cherry tomatoes. Sometimes I make a dip for him or use salad dressing. It seems like lots of toddlers only like raw veggies. He also likes cauliflower that has been steamed until really soft, then mashed with potatoes. Have you tried baked sweet potato? They are sweet and you can put a tiny bit of butter and honey on them. It's not so vegetabley. My big secret weapon however, is Knudsen's Mega Green juice. It's really easy to find (probably only in health food stores) it's GREEEEEEN. It contains good friuts like mango and pineapple and also spirulina, broccoli, spinach, and wheat grass. It tastes like yummy fruit juice, and they get some veggies out of it. Both my kids love it.
As far as protien goes, if they like peanut butter, I would put it on everything. Apples, carrots, I put it between Annie's whole wheat bunny crackers like tiny sandwiches. My son also loves nuts and trail mix. I am always glad to hear about people who are concerned with thier kids getting eating a healthy diet, it makes me happy! I hope this helps.

Hey,

I have bought the Jessica seinfield book and it is great. We love almost all the recipes so far. The aloha chicken is the bomb. I think it is normal eating behavior at this age. My oldest has been like this for awhile, he is 4 now and I cant wait till he grows out of it. I am lucky that he Loves fruit and veggies he is just not into the protien. He eats I just have a problem getting him to eat enough. I have to hide the meat:)!

I give vegetables as snacks when we are out and about and my 2 year old gets hungry. Broccoli, cut green beans, peas are easy. I don't make a big deal if he doesn't, I just offer them again the next time we go out. I steam a little in micro and put in a little bowl. He usually eats them all if we are out or in the car. I also think a good time is when they are in front of the tv, if they do any tv watching. (My son also likes veggies with asian dipping sauces.) He likes anything if he gets to dip it.
My two year old is very restless at the table too, we try to make dinner time more fun for him. Letting him help set the table and picking out his bib, etc. I also will on occasion change it up and have an informal picnic on the kitchen floor. It can be a little messy but I feel like he eats more and enjoys it. (I do it on my schedule, not by request.)
Good luck!

Hi J., My daughter is also 2 and she changes her eating habits daily! She may like green peppers one day then chew them and spit them out the next!
I have read a lot lately about mom's trying to disguise veggies and the winning consensus is pureeing them. you could mix a puree right into the mac & cheese sauce and they won't be able to pick around it! Do your kids like pizza? You could get a crust, puree broccoli and put that down as a base, cover it with red sauce, cheese and whatever else they might like.
Just a few thoughts,
Good luck, I'm right there with you!
S.

Have you looked into the book Deceptively Delicious. I haven't read it but, basically it recommends blending the vegetables and then incorporating that into the sauce or food your cooking. There are similar books out there that is the only one I can think of. Good luck,
K.

I hope this doesn't sound to mean but MAKE them eat them. I have three kids and no gets to pick around food, what I make is what they eat. We did have struggles for a while but I gave them the plate of food and they either ate it or had nothing and then they got the same plate at the next meal and so on till they ate it. No snack in between! Once you have won this battle it is won and you wont have to bother with it any more!
They think they have you snoockered and they do, your the mom, your in charge!
I do have to say that my 3 year old does not eat as much as my 10 month old, I think they are just at different stages.

Good Luck and stand strong, this is battle of wills and you need to win not cater to them, it will only get worse as they get older!

HI

I suggest pureeing the veggies and mixing it with the mac and cheese mix.. cauliflower is particularly good as it has very little flavor and the kids cannot see it at all. A bit of pureed carrots also works. I also chop up veggies very very fine and put them in my meatloaf - when covered with a little ketchup, my son has NO idea he is getting any veggies. Jessica Seinfeld has a great book out that gives a bunch of recipes on how to sneak veggies into various foods - even desserts! Good luck!

mix baby food or pureed veggies in with things like spaghetti sauce, yogurt, etc. They may just not like the different texture.

my niece and nephew are the same way. When they come over we make pizza, you can buy the dough at the grocery store. Before they put the sause on I throw it in the food processor with some veggies so they disappear into the sauce and look like seasoning. Also try this with mashed potatoes and mash in cauliflower, also works well with mac n cheese.Sometimes getting them to help prepare food will make them more interested in eating it also.

Go buy Jessica Seinfelds cookbook. Yes she is Jerry's wife of the Sienfelt show. She has amazing recipes of how to use pureed veggies in things that you're kid will never know it's in there. I tried the brownies, yum. Costco was carrying the book if not Amazon.

good luck

Hi!
I don't have trouble with the protein part, but my 2-y-o is the same way about fruits and veggies. I finally invested in two books: The Sneaky Chef and Deceptively Delicious (The first is the best). You make purees out of healthy items to add them to regular foods. ie. cauliflower/white bean puree to mac-n-cheese. I've tried most of the recipes and they are so sneaky even I don't know they're there! The dessert ones aren't as good, though. It takes a day to make a bunch of purees to freeze in individual sizes, but if you are really serious about feeding picky eaters, it actually works great. Just thaw or microwave and dump it into whatever you're making. Hope this helps! Good luck!

Hi J.,

Wow, kudoes to you. You have quite the load there. It's hard to get pickey eaters to eat healthy. They think they know what they like and don't like and it's near impossible to change their mind once it's made up. I have a couple of those myself. Although, they are 3 years apart, not twins like yours. A nutritionist recomended to me not to stress about numbers of fruits and veggies a day. However to think of the diet containing the 5 colors of friut or veggies. Therefore, you make sure the diet consist of one fruit or vegetable serving from each of the five colors - red, blue/purples, yellow/orange, greens and white. www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org

Puree the vegies... my older daugher wouldn't have anything to do with any vegies until 6 or so, so I pureed them and blended them with cheese sauce or soup or spaghetti sauce or whatever. She never knew it was there. Also, use pureed navy beans, pumpkin or squash in your cookie recipes instead of the oil it calls for- it works too!

Okay, I read through everything to make sure others hadn't already suggested this. :) They now make pasta with vegetables built in -- this was how I got veggies past my son. Spinach, tomato, parsley, etc. is cooked into noodles, and it works well. The other thing I did was make fruit smoothies, and used (for me, it was products called Attain and Pro-Flex) powder that had protein and all the vitamins and minerals that were needed. My son loved the smoothies, and had no idea he was staying healthy by eating it. Now he's an adult on his own, and knows the secret of how mom kept him healthy, so he makes them himself. :)

Taste buds change -- what they don't like today, they'll love tomorrow. I like the suggestion from the woman who visited China -- EVERYONE eats veggies. Peer pressure can be a positive thing. :)

Angel :)

so when my son wouldnt eat fruit i used to buy him the v8 fruit fusion juice. It had enough veggie taste but had fruit too. you could try that for your little one. also if youve got a french fry lover on your hands buy the chicken fries. my son loves those!

Try the Morning Star sausage links--best price at Trader Joes. My kids love them and have eaten them since they were little. They are low in fat and is a great protein We also use a lot of ranch dip with our veggies. You could also take a look at the cookbook Deceptively Delicious. It seems like a lot of work, but I understand it is really great (Costco has them. Good luck, my kids are 6 and 9 and we still have veggie issues.

I think the two best options are to one, let them wait until they are hungry enough to eat. They are being picky when they aren't very hungry or because they know they will get something sweet or fatty instead. If they are hungry enough, they'll eat it. If that is too harsh for you, then try sneaking the veggies into their food. Jerry Seinfeld's wife just put out a book I think someone already posted it and it has a ton of healthy recipes that puree and mash foods into their food so they will eat it without knowing. My problem with this is it makes the child feel like they are getting their way and they are learning it's okay to be picky and only eat what they want instead of what they should. So I think a combo of the two methods would work best. Hide veggies in their food and make them eat them! My daughter eats everything I give most of the time. She is picky when she is teething and having a rough time, not feeling well or sleep, or simply not that hungry. Otherwise she will at least try the food. Don't give up! Keep working on it!

Hi J....yes it is normal and sooooooooooooooo frustrating!!!! My kids ate everything as babies and now they make me want to pull my hair out. They won't even try stuff most of the time. My husband and I just picked a rule and have stuck to it..."this is what's for dinner your choices are eat it or don't eat it." If they choose don't eat it, they don't get anything else to eat the rest of the evening. I have broken down and bought my 4 year old the strawberry pediasure which she thinks is strawberry milk. At least I feel like she got something in her tummy for the rest of the evening. But they are always pretty hungry and good eaters for breakfast and lunch so I focus on making those two meals as nutritious as possible.

As far as the actualy food goes...I bought the book Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld and it has helped a TON. Basically you puree the vegetables and mix it in with food they already eat and I have had quite a bit of success w/that. For example, my kids now LOVE "Buttered Noodles" which has pureed cauliflower in it. They have no clue.....

I'm laughing about your mom...clearly something happens to all of us moms when our own children give birth that wipes our memory clean! Actually my mom isn't so bad, but my husband's grandmother is the worst! Of course, she insists her kids were all potty trained at 18 months and were perfect little angels...blah blah blah. Probably explains why they're all in therapy!!! LOL

Anyway, hang in there girlfriend!!!! Do you have a mulitiples support group or anything you hang out with? I've got a friend w/twins and she'd be happy to hook you up with some great twins resouces out there for you. Just email me back if you want that information. Honestly, I don't know how any of you with twins do it...you guys definitely deserve a metal in my book.

L.

P.S. I'm a 38 y/o stay at home mom to 8 and 5 year old girls. My husband and I have been married for 10 years.

Hi J.. I figure, at this age, it's hard to set rules for eating vegetables. It's just up to you to make sure your kids get the nutrition that they need. My 1 yr old (3rd child) only has 2 teeth and has decided not to eat babyfood anymore. If I make a grilled cheese sandwich, I lightly spread babyfood (pureed spinach works great) on the inside with the cheese and then cut it like a checkerboard so that she can pick up the little squares on her own. I haven't tried it, but maybe you can mix something else pureed into the mac n cheese?? I'd say sneak things in for now, but keep trying to get them to choose. Work on the rules a little later. Good luck!

I just bought the book "Deceptively Delicious", by Jessica Seinfeld. The book is excellent in explaining various ways to sneak vegies into tons of recipies. It is amazing!!!!! You have to check it out!!

Try adding pureed veggies to the food. That way, they don't see them, and they can't eat around them.

I haven't had twins, but I think it's all in the organization. Schedules are easier on you, and more comfortable for the kids. Everyone feels overwhelmed once in a while. (And sometimes, it feels like MORE than once in a while. haha) But the best advice I ever heard was: Just watch over them, and love them. You really can't go wrong with that.

Hi J.,

There is a product out called Veggie Berries. It gives 5 servings of fruits and vegetables. It is a fantastic product, and I use it with the whole family. We all must eat our vegetables, and fruit and it is really helpful as an encourager for me. I still give my daughter veggies and fruit, and she loves them, but this product really is great to ensure that everyone gets the nutrients that are needed. You can buy it on the ght website. I would google GHT, or global health trax. They have some wonderful products to assist in maintaining health.

I also will say that I heard about Jessica Seinfeld's book as well and have interest in purchasing it for our family too. :) It soiunds like a really good tool for teaching kids about foods that are good for you. :)

Oh, and when my daughter does not eat her vegetables, I have found that it is because I push it on her. She is the kind of kid that you cannot force to do something. SHe either has to try it herself, or see you eating it and then want some. :) I'm not sure what your reaction is when the kids don't eat their vegetables, but maybe look at that and see if it plays into the kids reaction as well. All children do some things for attention and pick up on our emotions to challenge us as parents. I would say continue eating them with your kids and express how yummy they are and how healthy you feel. Expect the kids to react positively and they will. :) Blessings to you and your sweet family. :)

K.S.

Here's a few tricks I love:
Make fruit smoothies, but add frozen (cooked) spinach or other veggies. They'll never know. Pureed veggies are hard to pick around. You could also add protein by using organic yogurt and pure soy protein or even tofu.
Make spaghetti sauce, but grate in a bunch of carrots and zucchini. Same with meatloaf, meatballs, etc. Spinach is great because it's packed with nutrients but cooks up small.
Try using yogurt as a "dip" for stuff like raw (or cooked!) veggies or use spaghetti sauce or cheese fondue as a dip for veggies or meat (chicken "fingers" or meatballs).
Also, try playing the veggie game. Whoever eats all the veggies on their plate first gets a treat (maybe an m&m or maybe just seconds on something they do like).
I personally think kids do better with veggies if they take part in growing/buying them. Maybe grow some cherry tomatoes or beans on your porch this summer and have them "help" with the gardening. When their harvest comes in, they'll take pride in it. Or, go to the farmer's market for produce in the summer and let them pick out the veggies they like.
By the way, it's totally normal. Just keep offering...I'm sure you've heard this but it takes many tries before a kid will like something they supposedly don't like. Good luck!

I have had the same problems with my 3 yr old. He has gone days with out eating. His doctor has referred him to a nutritionist, I suggested do the pureed food or even baby foods. She said that will not change the their eatting the good foods. It just makes it harder for use to get them to eat it when they are older. They will eat what their body need.
This is a very normal for this age group. I do have 5 older kids (b/g teins) they are now adults, when they were little I let them see me eat the good foods and enjoy them.
I used tricks like I would snake on them through out the day. Use dipps and sauces. This age group likes to dip there foods in dips, sauces. My son can not eat the cheese or dairy dips, sauces. I put some mayo on his plate and showed him to dip his green beans in it, He liked it. If my son goes a couple days with out eating, I will offer him a dip dinner, I would prepare only foods we could dip (hot dogs, french fries, carrots, trees (broccoli) coliflower, green beans) dips would be mayo, catsup, mustard, butter. for those who are not lactose, the cheese, ranch and so on.
(please, do not think I let my son go with out food. I do offer him food at meal and snack time. I am working with his doctor as well)
Also remember over eatting and not eatting the right foods (junk foods) is an eatting disorder as well.
good luck

Hi,
I have a 20 month old and I ended up buying Jessica Seinfeld's book Deliciously Deceptive. She purees vegetables into easy recipes and my son doesn't know that difference. I think there is another book called The Sneaky Cheff that is same principle. It is the only thing that has worked for me with vegetables. Good luck!

L.

My 2 year old daughter is very very picky....PB&J and Mac and Cheese seem like the only things she ever wants to eat :) The two times I tried to hide Carrot Puree in her food she didn't want to eat. I give her Juicy Juice with vegetables in it....it is the only veggies she will put in her mouth. I still put vegetables on her plate for every meal and I caught her tasting her broccoli once so I think she will eventually be fine. I just feel better knowing that she is getting vitamins even she is just drinking them.

Hi - I just read through all of the advice about getting your kids to eat and, well, I'm exhausted!! I have a 7 yo boy who will eat ANYTHING - and I mean anything - haggis, sushi, any veggie, you name it.

Once he was 2 or so and could safely eat anything, we never made him special meals. I went a little crazy when he got picky at 2.5 or so,and wouldn't drink milk and refused to eat some of the time, but it didn't last long.

I read somewhere to give them 1 tablespoon per year of food (so 2 T for your people) and lots of variety. I think I'd give my boy a toothpick now and then to stab up pieces of fruit or whatever. He liked that.

You can't expect a 2 year old to sit at the table for more than 5 minutes. It's okay to let them leave and come back. They'll get over it eventually.

And they won't starve themselves. I promise!

I think that when we feed our kids food that has high fat and salt/sugar content, they get used to having a flavor blast and don't want anything that doesn't excite their mouths in the same way. Beware the mac n cheese, goldfish, string cheese, fruity yogurt, white bread, hot dogs, cold cuts, etc.

Also, kids dietary needs are different than ours - they need lots of carbs - protien too - but not as much. And their nutritional needs are calculated by the week - not the day - as someone mentioned. So one day of whole wheat toast and butter, followed by a day of nothing but milk, followed by a day of fruit, followed by a day of air = pretty darned good eating!

Good luck - and remember - you're the boss! Don't make your crazy life harder than it needs to be by making special meals and catering to their every whim. You know what's best! Really! A.

Who has a clue about anything mothering? When my kids were in their teens and seriously complaining about my being the meanest, most restrictive mom anywhere, I told them, "Yeah, I'm experimenting on you. If I had a second family, they'd get the benefit. And since I'm praying and asking advice and doing my best, if you need therapy later, you'll have to pay for your own." (My mom's line about therapy. Just passing on the good stuff.)

Do your best. Ask the old ladies who have done it. They're the only ones who really know because they know what happens in the end to their kids and their friends' kids from everything they tried.

That said, kids' tastes morph chemically. At times they won't eat this or that. Lots of my male peers won't eat broccoli, brussel sprouts, celery, etc. until their mid-40s when chemistry changes again. Find high-nutrition veges and grains the kids will tolerate (corn? potatoes? whole-grain rice?)and enjoy eating the rest yourself. Pop in new stuff every once in a while to see if tastes have changed. Our house rule is "Try everything on the table. This time you might like what you didn't like last time." It's a good habit and good manners when they're visiting, besides.

My kids ended up eating everything eventually because I'm an adventurous cook. And when we travel internationally, they eat everything wherever we are. In contrast, some of their friends were so picky that they almost starved at our place. "I don't eat cheese. I don't like eggs. I only like French bread, not sliced like that. The only meat I like is hamburgers in small patties. But not with spaghetti." Whatever. I put stuff on the table and sent them home, loving their mother's cooking.

Dont, they want carbs and carbs are the easiest to digest. I have 2 grandchildren and when they were that age, carbs are the best. still my grandson at age 3 still loves his cereal. Just be glad he is eating something, as you dont want it to be a power struggle.
Here is a web site that sneaks in different foods that may help. www.pecanbread.com click on recipes