What to you do......

[Welshcookie 17]

My son is 10 but the size of a 7/8 yr old. I cannot get him to try any other food out of the small food choices he will eat. I am seriously concerned about his eating habits......no veg, no meat He survives on cereal, bread, tinned spagetti.....and the usual crappy crisps sweets etc.

It is becoming quite an issue between me and my husband. He is of the thought of putting food in front of him and if he doesn't eat it then he goes hungry. I really don't want food to become a battle for any of us, yet I am at a loss. I have 2 other older children who have and do eat anything, I don't know where the hell I went wrong on this one

So if you have any words of wisdom or can share any experiences I am all ears!

[Canuck Carrie 1]

I've always heard that getting the child involved in the planning & prep of the food helps get them interested. Keep it simple, colorful and fun.

But what do I know, all I would eat when I was little was peanut butter sandwiches and apple sauce.

[Jenn! 918]

I've always heard that getting the child involved in the planning & prep of the food helps get them interested. Keep it simple, colorful and fun.

Yes, I was just about to post the same thing! I read an article on this rececntly and they strongly recommended this method for picky eaters.

Maybe making pizza together with some toppings will get him to try out some meats and veggies and see that they're not so bad after all.

[john_and_marlene 162]

Prepare healthy meals. When they are hungry enough, they will finally eat. It won't take long and the poor diet will be a thing of the past. It may not be pleasant at first, but sometimes being a parent isn't about being popular.

[danae 0]

I have a friend who for his whole life has only eaten bread, cheese and some potatoes (fries, crisps etc). His parents took him to all sorts of counselling when he was a child- but nothing helped. He just wont eat anything else. He actually says now that he thinks the more fuss was made over it, the more stubborn he got. And now its just a life habit.

It seems like loads of children go through it at some point, but most grow out of it. some obviously dont.

If I were you I would just be careful making a big deal of it. He will eat other things when he's ready.

[mawilson 2,133]

Financial incentives? As in "eat salads every day for a month, get this toy you always wanted"?

[I'm Gone 60]

If he's otherwise healthy I wouldn't worry about it. Give him a multiple vitamin each day just to top things off. We buy our daughter at Costco the ones that are like gummy bears.

[Welshcookie 17]

I have a friend who for his whole life has only eaten bread, cheese and some potatoes (fries, crisps etc). His parents took him to all sorts of counselling when he was a child- but nothing helped. He just wont eat anything else. He actually says now that he thinks the more fuss was made over it, the more stubborn he got. And now its just a life habit.

It seems like loads of children go through it at some point, but most grow out of it. some obviously dont.

If I were you I would just be careful making a big deal of it. He will eat other things when he's ready.

omg....that kind of frightens me

I have started putting veg on his plate anyway just in hope that he may start to eat it if it is always there.

I mean he is just never ill....been to the docs twice, once for a hernia and once for ear infection....yeh, I will definately do the vitamin pills

Thanks guys....I am reading with interest....

[allynella 0]

I did the incentive thing, followed up with multi-vitamin. Now, she will eat my arm if I'm not quick enough, but still, she will only eat what she wants. If he's as healthy as you say he is, there's nothing to worry about.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Recently my wife and I house/baby sat 4 kids for a month. My wife would have to cook a different food for each kid at each meal. Grrrrrr. I put up with it for the month but if they were my kids I would let them go hungry until they all ate the same thing.

[Fuzzness 2]

we have the same problem. anna will rarely eat all her food. i always have supper already cooked when she gets home. sometimes she will eat it all but mostly not. there doesn't seem to be a pattern to this either. don't know what to do. even not giving her desert don't help none

[Traviesa 0]

While he may be able to get away with poor eating habits now, it will eventually catch up with him when he reaches his late teens/early 20's. I didn't believe it when people told me that, but sure enough it happened. You can't exist on junk and be healthy forever. You're going to have to get tough and insist that he eats at least one fruit and vegetable per day. Maybe some grapes with lunch and some green beans with dinner. As far as meat, I would start easy with lunch meat on sandwiches and work your way up with chicken nuggets, etc. It's very important that he receives nourishment from all different sources.

[heishe 2]

Make it a battle if that's what it takes; be a parent first and a buddy second.

[tmma 467]

Couple of things that work for me.

If you live on/near the base over there try looking for these in the Commisary, welshcookie.

V8 Splash ( it's carrot juice mixed with fruit juice) my son loves it.....tastes like tropical punch with non of the colouring ####### .......there's a serving of veg in every glass along with Vit C and E.

Wacky Mac ( it's pasta that's all different colours as its been colored with spinach, carrot and beets...LOL...)you cannot taste the veggies and my son loves the colours and woofs it down in a bolognaise with mushrooms and ground beef....there's another serving of veg B) ...and iron and a bunch of minerals ( and the best thing is they don't know it's GOOD for them ).

Danimals, Trix or Go-Gurt

Sugar Free Nestle Nesquick....All the goodness-none of the nasty sugar.

Iron Kids bread...Fortified with vits and minerals for those " I only wanna sandwich" days

Popsicles that are made entirely from fruit juice ( no colouring or sugar added)...there's some Vit C.

Individual fruit cups he can open himself and snack on ( I get the "lite" version--less sugar added).

Cheese slices cut with a cookie cutter into funny shapes for him to make his own sandwiches with.

Helped me in those picky times to make sure at least what he was eating was at least semi-healthy!

Edited September 26, 2006 by tmma

[Cristy 4]

At that age? Make him eat. I have 10 yr old twins and a 12 yr old. They don't always like eating everything but they always have to try it. The rule is you have to eat the vegetable or salad that is on the table. Caseys 15 yr old is the problem. He has never been made to eat healthy. But the same rule applies for him (I am the evil step mother)

Honestly though it is best to start when they are little, I always gave mine tons of fruit and veggies and they almost always eat it now without a fight and often ask for it on their own.