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Old 12-26-2011, 01:59 PM
 
Location: Geneva, IL
12,980 posts, read 14,536,888 times
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Lots of great advice here so far. I have a few more things that have worked for me.

Getting kids involved in food prep is a big help. They see what goes into each meal, and you can ask them what ingredients they would enjoy in pasta sauce, etc.

We have a rule that you don't have to eat everything, but you must try everything (and not spit it out). They often discover they like foods that they previously didn't find visually pleasing.

I change things up a lot so they don't get stuck in the rut of only eating one brand of bread, etc. I prep foods different ways, and use different seasonings.
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Old 12-26-2011, 02:01 PM
 
Location: Geneva, IL
12,980 posts, read 14,536,888 times
Reputation: 14862
Quote:
Originally Posted by somebodynew View Post
I am going to say something really unpopular. And I mean no direct offense to you. But it seems to me that "texture issues", "smells wrong" (aside from rot) and "sensory issues" is a often a load of rot, just another I don't like it thing. Our species would have died out with "sensory issues" long since. I don't get the inability to eat things one "doesn't like" as if food is not sometimes just sustenance.

But that is me.

We live in a time of massive excess that permits things that would never matter to matter. I am thinking Frank McCourt would have gotten over his "sensory issues" and teaching our kids to cater to these issues is not in their best interest in the event that they ever find themselves in challenging life situations.
My mother and one of my nieces have "texture" aversions. It's impossible for them to "just get over it", they would rather starve. It may not make much sense to you or me, but to them it's real.
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Old 12-26-2011, 02:08 PM
 
14,294 posts, read 13,158,830 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zimbochick View Post
My mother and one of my nieces have "texture" aversions. It's impossible for them to "just get over it", they would rather starve. It may not make much sense to you or me, but to them it's real.
I am sure it exists. But it is also used as a stupid excuse for people to spoil their kids. Dahling won't eat noodles. I look dahling will eat straight noodles now, just not cork screw noodles.

I am glad for the sake of your mother that she needn't starve as once she might have. So there is some good to living in a time of massive excess.

I still think it is foolish to poor Johnny's EW noodles!

S
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Old 12-26-2011, 02:12 PM
 
Location: Geneva, IL
12,980 posts, read 14,536,888 times
Reputation: 14862
Quote:
Originally Posted by somebodynew View Post
I am sure it exists. But it is also used as a stupid excuse for people to spoil their kids. Dahling won't eat noodles. I look dahling will eat straight noodles now, just not cork screw noodles.

I am glad for the sake of your mother that she needn't starve as once she might have. So there is some good to living in a time of massive excess.

I still think it is foolish to poor Johnny's EW noodles!

S
Oh so presumptuous. My mother is now over 80. She grew up in a poor African nation. Her entire schooling was spent in a convent where she was forced to eat the foods that repulsed her.
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Old 12-26-2011, 02:14 PM
 
14,294 posts, read 13,158,830 times
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Originally Posted by Zimbochick View Post
Oh so presumptuous. My mother is now over 80. She grew up in a poor African nation. Her entire schooling was spent in a convent where she was forced to eat the foods that repulsed her.
I am sorry to hear that. That must have been very difficult for her.

Doesn't change my point much. But I certainly don't wish discomfort on anyone.

I stand by my assertion that the vast majority of "picky eaters" are made not born. That your mother was one of the unfortunates for whom that is not the case is, indeed, unfortunate,
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Old 12-26-2011, 02:15 PM
 
Location: Wherever women are
19,012 posts, read 29,665,791 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swerver View Post
Our 4 year old is a picky eater. I've tried not to worry about this much in the past. Now that he's doing more stuff with other kids like preschool, birthday parties, I've noticed that he seems to be quite a bit pickier than any of the other kids. Went to a birthday party where they served pizza, all the kids loved it, our kid wouldn't touch it. He eats cereal out of a bowl with a spoon, and drinks a glass of milk with it, but refuses to try cereal with milk. He has a pajama party coming up at preschool and they are serving pancakes, which he won't touch. Though he likes french toast.

I don't want to be heavy handed and force him to eat stuff, but I don't want him to turn into some oddball that can't ever eat in a group setting. I know that he will like these foods - it's not like I'm trying to get him to eat brussell sprouts, this is pizza and cereal we are talking about, 2 kid staples! I even tried to bribe him with a new toy if he tried something, but he didn't go for it. Is it too soon to worry about this? I kinda think it is, but still it bugs me. My wife says he's just trying to out-stubborn me.
I never liked pizza all my life. Look how different I am now, a total disaster. I wish I had taken more pizza and enriched my life better. LOL

He has a good food habit probably. Pizzas aren't the best food. French toast is a much better one for it's better to control in terms of number of servings. On the other hand, pizzas are addictive. They contribute to eating disorders, both in kids and adults.

A tray of pizza disappears in my office in 30 seconds. Sometimes they do pizza Fridays, cheese loaded pizza boxes, about 40 to 50 of them and they still disappear at reckless pace And the same people can be found bitching on other days about their waist lines, as they religiously microwave their Lean Cuisine trays
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Old 12-26-2011, 02:25 PM
 
14,294 posts, read 13,158,830 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zimbochick View Post
Oh so presumptuous. My mother is now over 80. She grew up in a poor African nation. Her entire schooling was spent in a convent where she was forced to eat the foods that repulsed her.
That is moe than uncomfortable. That sounds pretty awful.
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Old 12-26-2011, 02:30 PM
 
11,642 posts, read 23,859,121 times
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A related question:

Why do any of you force your kids to taste food that they don't like? When we are talking about a toddler I get it. But when a child is 10 or 12 years old why can't they just dislike a food?

I do not like beets. I am not a picky eater but there are a few foods I don't like. Why would anyone care if I taste the beets or not?
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Old 12-26-2011, 02:37 PM
 
14,294 posts, read 13,158,830 times
Reputation: 17797
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momma_bear View Post
A related question:

Why do any of you force your kids to taste food that they don't like? When we are talking about a toddler I get it. But when a child is 10 or 12 years old why can't they just dislike a food?

I do not like beets. I am not a picky eater but there are a few foods I don't like. Why would anyone care if I taste the beets or not?
Well for one, I don't personally force the kids to taste things. So that leaves me out of this direct question.

But the thing that I want is the kids to recognize that food is not all about yum yum. My hope is that when they NEED to, they can look at that beet that stands between them and hunger and eat the damned beet.

I WAS forced to eat things I did not like. It is a really handy skill to be 12, sitting as a guest of a blue hair who actually thinks liver is food, and eat the meal with politeness. I KNOW that that is not going to be the response in all kids. Some kids will rebel if forced to eat things that they don't like. And you never know if you have the minority kid who DOES have some kind of funky eating issue.

That is why I think offer and ignore is the best choice. Eat it or don't, I don't care. No one ever died of missing a meal here and there. With obesity being such a big issue these days, maybe we can stand to miss more meals.
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Old 12-26-2011, 02:51 PM
 
32,516 posts, read 37,091,970 times
Reputation: 32578
Quote:
Originally Posted by somebodynew View Post
I am going to say something really unpopular. And I mean no direct offense to you. But it seems to me that "texture issues", "smells wrong" (aside from rot) and "sensory issues" is a often a load of rot, just another I don't like it thing. Our species would have died out with "sensory issues" long since. I don't get the inability to eat things one "doesn't like" as if food is not sometimes just sustenance.
It may be a load of rot in some cases but there are people with food sensory issues who are actually unable to chew and swallow foods with certain tastes, smells and textures.

The regurgitation reflex in their bodies kicks in and, believe me, it is not pleasant to be around.
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