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At that age my daughter loved a "tin muffin pan lunch." I have a muffin pan that makes 6 big muffins. I would serve her lunch in it. Put things like this in it.
milk/juice/water
meat (chicken, ham, mini hambergers, fish sticks or whatever)
cheese stick
fruit chunks
veggie stcks
ranch
a cookie
crackers
pizza rolls
french fries
pretzels
To get her to eat the veggies I would cover 1 cup with a paper towel. If she ate all of the veggies she could have the prize under it. Sometimes it would be money or a small toy or a note saying let's go to a movie.
When kids start dictating what they want, especially at dinner, all it does is end up in a control issue. Maybe allow him to choose what he has for lunch, then do no negotiating at dinnertime. Expect him to eat what is prepared for the family and leave it at that. If he chooses to not eat, I wouldn't suggest falling into the habit of fixing anything special just for the sake of him eating. He won't starve. If he doesn't eat what is prepared, he's out of luck. Maybe a small snack before bed, but not a seperately made meal.
Life becomes quite frustrating when a small child is in control of family meals.
It is quite frustrating trying to make our meal and then having to worry about a whole seperate thing for him. Drives us nuts, ecspecially during the week since we both work during the day. So the above doesn't really work except on S&S because we both work so he eats lunch at school.
At that age my daughter loved a "tin muffin pan lunch." I have a muffin pan that makes 6 big muffins. I would serve her lunch in it. Put things like this in it.
milk/juice/water
meat (chicken, ham, mini hambergers, fish sticks or whatever)
cheese stick
fruit chunks
veggie stcks
ranch
a cookie
crackers
pizza rolls
french fries
pretzels
To get her to eat the veggies I would cover 1 cup with a paper towel. If she ate all of the veggies she could have the prize under it. Sometimes it would be money or a small toy or a note saying let's go to a movie.
It is quite frustrating trying to make our meal and then having to worry about a whole seperate thing for him. Drives us nuts, ecspecially during the week since we both work during the day. So the above doesn't really work except on S&S because we both work so he eats lunch at school.
I said NOT seperate. NO negotiations. Expect him to eat only what the family eats at dinnertime.
If he likes eggs...how about omelets? You can sneak some veggies in there if you cut them up pretty small along with cheese.
Also...I know there are a few cookbooks out there that deal with pureed fruits and veggies that you add to things like spaghetti sauce and Mac and Cheese. It does not really change the taste too much but gives kids some of the vitamins they need without them knowing it. I know that Jerry Seinfelds wife put one out but it came out after another one did. Maybe someone knows the name of it and can post it.
Keep putting the good foods on his plate. Eventually he will start eating them. Don't give up on that. They say it can take a baby up to 20 times to eat and like something when it is first introduced to them. Your son could be the same way.
Oh and I do a lot of casseroles with a meat and different veggies. The kids start by picking out the things they like and then after serving it a few times they start eating more and more of what is in it. I also tell my kids "try one bite, if you don't like it, you don't have to eat it". That takes some pressure off....and many times they will say "oh, this is good".
Good luck and keep giving him a variety...he eventually will branch out.
wow - you sure are getting a lot of strongly opinionated replies.
Your son's diet sound a lot like my DD's lunch rotation (hot dog, lunchable, chicken nuggets, cheese pizza, grilled cheese, pasta bucket meal). I try to focus on heathy side dishes both at lunch and dinner (fruit, applesauce, yogurt, spinach and cheese tortellini, some veggies-she only reliably eats broccoli and peas) and healthy snacks (cheese and whole wheat crackers are a staple) and don't stress too much if my kids eat very little meat at some meals. If he eats eggs he is getting good protein (my kids don't like eggs). Does he like spaghetti and meatballs/ meat sauce?
Helping to cook definitely helps with my 5-year old. Also, we let her put ketchup or ranch dressing on almost anything she wants to put it on.
One thing that sometimes works with our kids is letting them eat with toothpicks. They won't touch sausage as a link but when we cut it into circles and let them eat with toothpicks, it gets gobbled up.
Getting to have dessert is definitely used to motivate her at dinner, when it is clear that she doesn't dislike the food but is just not very interested in eating it.
It is quite frustrating trying to make our meal and then having to worry about a whole seperate thing for him. Drives us nuts, ecspecially during the week since we both work during the day. So the above doesn't really work except on S&S because we both work so he eats lunch at school.
yeah - I hate that too. If I don't think the kids will eat the main dish, I try and make sure the side dishes are things they will like and just let them eat those.
Also, can you make your "back-up" dinner for him something easy on you? Sometimes if my 5-year old has tried what we are having and refuses to eat it becasue she doesn't like it, I will have her get the bread and sliced cheese so we can make her a sandwich. I don't have to get up and we just make it right there at the table.
how is he not eating meat if he is eating balogna and chicken nuggets?quote]
Chicken nuggets, hotdogs, and bologna to me are not real meats. I think of them as extra processed stuff that my kid likes to eat and I prefer not to think of what is in it.
If you think these items are so bad, why do you have them in your home?
Don't fight about it with him. Give him what the family is having or let him make a peanut butter sandwich and leave it at that. Tell him kindly that he only can have chicken nuggets and bologna once a week (or whatever you can tolerate) but tonight you've cooked...whatever...for dinner. If he doesn't want that, he (not you) can make himself a peanut butter sandwich. No junk food eating later in the night, either. When dinner is over, pick up the plates and be done with it. Let him pitch a fit if he wants to, but ask him to do it in his room because the rest of you are trying to enjoy dinner. Remember that you're the grownup and he's the kid.
He's not going to starve if he skips dinner a few nights and I bet it won't take him long to come around.
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