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Old 12-22-2011, 09:32 AM
 
Location: You know... That place
1,899 posts, read 2,842,577 times
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My rule is that you have to at least try everything on your plate. Even if you didn't like it last time, you try it. DD has been very surprised several times when she tried a food the second time and she really liked it. If she doesn't like a food the first time, we usually try to change how the food is prepared for the second time. Sometimes it is the texture, or the seasoning on a food that they don't like. The first time she tried yellow squash, she hated it. When I took a bite, I realized that DH had overcooked it and left it completely mushy. The next time, she loved it because it wasn't mushy. There have been times that she didn't like foods because the seasoning was a bit too much.

I don't see changing the way something is cooked as giving in, I see it as encouraging adventurous eating. She is not afraid to try any foods because she knows that if she takes a bite and doesn't like it, I won't force her to eat it. I am not going to make a new meal for her, but I won't force her to eat that one item. I may give her more of the other items on her plate if she is still hungry.

She went from having a stage at 1.5 - 2 years old ONLY eating graham crackers (I got all of her nutrients in her through pediasure, and vitamins) to now (she just turned 7) she will try ANYTHING I put in front of her. Gator, beef tongue, eel, crazy veggies, pretty much anything.
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Old 12-22-2011, 03:11 PM
 
Location: Central, NJ
2,729 posts, read 6,091,862 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by num1baby View Post
My rule is that you have to at least try everything on your plate. Even if you didn't like it last time, you try it. DD has been very surprised several times when she tried a food the second time and she really liked it. If she doesn't like a food the first time, we usually try to change how the food is prepared for the second time. Sometimes it is the texture, or the seasoning on a food that they don't like. The first time she tried yellow squash, she hated it. When I took a bite, I realized that DH had overcooked it and left it completely mushy. The next time, she loved it because it wasn't mushy. There have been times that she didn't like foods because the seasoning was a bit too much.

I don't see changing the way something is cooked as giving in, I see it as encouraging adventurous eating. She is not afraid to try any foods because she knows that if she takes a bite and doesn't like it, I won't force her to eat it. I am not going to make a new meal for her, but I won't force her to eat that one item. I may give her more of the other items on her plate if she is still hungry.

She went from having a stage at 1.5 - 2 years old ONLY eating graham crackers (I got all of her nutrients in her through pediasure, and vitamins) to now (she just turned 7) she will try ANYTHING I put in front of her. Gator, beef tongue, eel, crazy veggies, pretty much anything.
Thank you, from a mother of a 16 month old who has gone from eating and loving everything to throwing almost everything on the floor or clamping his mouth shut refusing to even taste. I know I haven't caused this and it's nice to have the hope that it will pass. I will keep trying, but man it's aggravating.
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Old 12-22-2011, 03:15 PM
 
14,294 posts, read 13,125,843 times
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Originally Posted by Irish Eyes View Post
Thank you, from a mother of a 16 month old who has gone from eating and loving everything to throwing almost everything on the floor or clamping his mouth shut refusing to even taste. I know I haven't caused this and it's nice to have the hope that it will pass. I will keep trying, but man it's aggravating.
See if he threw it on the floor and clamped his mouth, I would say oh you are done. And put him down.
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Old 12-22-2011, 03:42 PM
 
Location: You know... That place
1,899 posts, read 2,842,577 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Irish Eyes View Post
Thank you, from a mother of a 16 month old who has gone from eating and loving everything to throwing almost everything on the floor or clamping his mouth shut refusing to even taste. I know I haven't caused this and it's nice to have the hope that it will pass. I will keep trying, but man it's aggravating.
It will pass. It depends mostly on the kid, but (I believe) a lot on you as well. Don't make a big deal about it if he won't eat. Don't offer different things. If he throws it on the floor or clamps his mouth shut, just calmly say "Oh. I guess you aren't hungry. That's ok. We will save this for later." and put it away. If he is hungry, he will ask for the food in a bit. Don't get upset or frustrated by it (I know. Easier said than done) because that just reinforces their behavior.
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Old 12-22-2011, 04:14 PM
 
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My 12 yo step sister is like that. She wont eat anything except porkchops or chicken breast BAKED never fried and chicken flavored rice and canned cord. She wont eat mac n cheese or mashed potatos. ANYTHING and her dad seriously will make pork chops or chicken EVERY night and it is driving my mom crazy. I think that girl is going to be the end of their relationship.
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Old 12-22-2011, 05:56 PM
 
Location: Cedar Park
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I feel your pain. Our son used to eat everything we gave him until he was about 2. He's picky but loves fruit so I just make sure he has a side of fruit at dinner. He won't eat most of what I put on his plate, but it's there. He's 9. I have those plates that are like the school cafeteria trays because he can't stand for his food to touch. He has a very strong sense of smell, so I suspect part of his issue is due to that. I also suspect it's a texture thing as well. And part behavioral (he's strong-willed). He's also very small for his age. I've tried everything, including having him help me cook and even enrolled in him into one of those cooking classes but he still refused to try what he made. We've watched food network TV together since he was 4. Like your child, he will eat foods most kids won't eat but won't eat foods most kids will eat. Peer pressure doesn't work at all (which will hopefully be a good thing).

I hope he outgrows it. He's starting to show *some* interest in trying new foods. Earlier this year he decided to try tacos (just the meat in the shell) and it is now his favorite food-- only at home, he won't eat tacos at a Mexican restaurant. I always remind him that by him trying new things he may discover his next favorite food. I also have an open bribe of $1 for every new food he tries; he LOVES money but he is still very hesitant. I maybe shelled out $5 this year.

If your picky eater is at a healthy weight, I agree with the idea of just letting them go hungry. I wish that worked for ours. Also making it a non-issue. I didn't do a good job at that; I was too stressed that my underweight very small child wasn't eating.

Hopefully this helps-- if anything you know you are not alone!
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Old 12-22-2011, 08:11 PM
 
18,837 posts, read 37,211,634 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Irish Eyes View Post
Thank you, from a mother of a 16 month old who has gone from eating and loving everything to throwing almost everything on the floor or clamping his mouth shut refusing to even taste. I know I haven't caused this and it's nice to have the hope that it will pass. I will keep trying, but man it's aggravating.
That is why having a dog is mandatory when you have kids. My dog knew his "job", parked right under the high chair when it was time to feed the baby. Really saves time on cleaning the floor.

Same thing with picky eaters. The dog was more than happy to eat the food they did not want.
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Old 12-22-2011, 08:14 PM
 
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Dogs are great vacuum cleaners. Definite a household necessity. They recycle!
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Old 12-22-2011, 08:17 PM
 
Location: You know... That place
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I don't know what I would have done without a dog through the toddler years. I would probably still be cleaning up food.
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Old 12-22-2011, 08:21 PM
 
18,837 posts, read 37,211,634 times
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What is interesting about picky eaters, is that the less attention they get from being "picky", the more it diminishes. I remember one time, my daughter did not want to eat some homemade lasagna. Okay, have cereal. I scraped the lasagna into the dogs dish, and he relished this treat. A week later, we had the same thing, and Miss Picky actually ate her dinner. She did not get any attention from not eating the week before...just a bowl of cold cereal. So, she decided to get it this week...poor Sam, no lasagna for him.
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